Gladue factors were asserted, but due to very little information beyond the assertion of Aboriginal status, it had limited weight in this case. The offender was sentenced to a global jail sentence of 8 months, following a period of probation for 18 months.
Indigenous Law Centre – CaseWatch Blog
The offender was found guilty after trial of five sexual offences contrary to the Criminal Code. The sexual assault conviction was stayed when the parties made submissions on sentencing pursuant to the rule in R v Kienapple, [1975] 1 SCR 729. Defence counsel challenged the constitutionality of the remaining four conviction’s mandatory minimum sentences arguing a sentence involving a mandatory minimum would be grossly disproportionate and sought an order declaring their unconstitutionality under s12 of the Charter based on the offender’s learning disability.
The aggravating factors in this case included the fact the victim was 13 years of age. There were numerous offences including kissing, touching of her breast, request for sexual acts, sharing graphic sexual videos and the ultimate request for intercourse. The offender had a related youth record for engaging in similar conduct with a child victim. He knew right from the outset the victim was 13 years old. His acts could not be considered “grooming”, as they escalated in severity. A potential aggravating factor that was missing from the proceedings, was the impact on the victim as she chose not to provide a victim impact statement. His moral blameworthiness remained high based on his conscious decision to engage with a 13-year-old for two weeks and engaging in conduct after completing a program where he would have known about the moral boundaries of intimacy with partners.
The offender is an adult, but is still young and inexperienced. These are his first adult convictions. The offender had the full support of his family and community as evidenced by many letters of support. He had taken positive steps towards rehabilitation by addressing his learning disability, but the learning disability itself was not a mitigating factor. There are many collateral consequences for the offender. Gladue factors were asserted, but due to very little information beyond the assertion of Aboriginal status, it had limited weight in this case.
Balancing the aggravating and mitigating factors, and having regard to an undue sentence having a disproportionate impact on the offender’s learning disability, a sentence of imprisonment of 8 months was warranted for the child luring offence. Having arrived at this conclusion, the Court did not have to consider a s12 Charter analysis of the 6-month mandatory minimum, as the sentence imposed was not grossly disproportionate in the circumstances of the offender and this case. Accordingly, the s12 Charter challenge as framed on this record was dismissed.