Our Successes
The vast majority of our clients’ cases are resolved favourably.
R. vs. B.J. – Downtown Community Court
/in All Successes, Property Offences, Theft & Fraud/by Mike MinesCharge: Theft of property of a value not exceeding $5,000
Issue: Whether there was a substantial likelihood of conviction and whether it was in the public interest to proceed with the prosecution.
Result: Mr. Johnston identified weaknesses in the available video evidence which persuaded the Crown to direct a stay of proceedings on the charge. No jail. No criminal record.
R. vs. A.M. = Vancouver Provincial Court
/in All Successes, Assault & Threatening Charges/by Mike MinesCharges: Assault with a Weapon; Assault Causing Bodily Harm.
Issue: Whether there was a substantial likelihood of conviction and whether it was in the public interest to proceed with the prosecution.
Result: Mr. Johnston provided Crown counsel with information about our client’s circumstances, including his lack of prior criminal offending, his efforts at rehabilitation, and the fact that a conviction for either offence could result in the client’s deportation, an outcome which Mr. Johnston argued would be disproportionate to the seriousness of alleged offences. At the same time, Mr. Johnston pointed out weaknesses in the evidence against our client. The Crown directed stays of proceedings on both charges. No jail. No criminal record.
R. vs. A.V. – Vancouver Provincial Court
/in All Successes, Assault & Threatening Charges/by Mike MinesCharges: Uttering Threats x3; Criminal Harassment; Breach of Release Order (domestic).
Issue: Whether there was a substantial likelihood of conviction and whether it was in the public interest to proceed with the prosecution of these matters.
Result: Mr. Gauthier was able to persuade Crown counsel that it was more appropriate to deal with these matters in the context of Family Court. Ultimately Crown did not approve the uttering threats and criminal harassment charges and Mr. Gauthier persuaded Crown that there was no public interest in prosecuting the breach charge and to enter a stay of proceedings. No jail. No criminal record.
R. vs. K.L. – Terrace RCMP Investigation
/in All Successes, Assault & Threatening Charges/by Mike MinesCharges: Assault.
Issue: Whether there was a substantial likelihood of a conviction and whether it was in the public interest to proceed with the prosecution.
Result: Mr. Mines presented additional information to Crown counsel which resulted in Crown declining to approve any charge. No criminal record.
R. vs. O.P. – Victoria Provincial Court
/in All Successes, Sexual Offence Cases/by Mike MinesCharges: Voyeurism; Criminal harassment.
Issue: Whether Crown could prove that our client actually recorded and distributed images without consent of the complainant.
Result: Mr. Gauthier was able to persuade Crown counsel to proceed only on the criminal harassment charge. After hearing Mr. Gauthier’s submissions, the trial judge granted our client a conditional sentence order with a curfew for two months. No jail.
R. vs. T.B. – Vancouver Provincial Court
/in All Successes, Weapons Offences/by Mike MinesCharges: Indecent Act; Assault With a Weapon; Possessing of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose (x2); Robbery; Uttering Threats; Theft of Property of a Value not Exceeding $5,000.
Issue: Whether there was a substantial likelihood of conviction and whether it was in the public interest to proceed with prosecution of all counts; whether a jail sentence was appropriate.
Result: Mr. Johnston identified weaknesses in the evidence which persuaded the Crown there was no reasonable prospect of conviction on the Indecent Act charge. Mr. Johnston persuaded Crown counsel to resolve the case on three of the remaining counts and to stay all remaining charges. After hearing Mr. Johnston’s submissions regarding our client’s personal circumstances and his significant rehabilitation efforts, the Court agreed to release our client from custody and to place him on a probation order with conditions supporting his rehabilitation. No further jail time.
R. vs. M.G. – RCMP Investigation
/in All Successes, Drug Cases/by Mike MinesCharges: Possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Issue: Whether there was a substantial likelihood that Crown could establish that our client was a willing participant in the alleged drug trafficking scheme.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to provide information and persuade police to not seek any criminal charges against our client. No charges were approved. Our client’s vehicle was retuned. No criminal record.
R. vs. A.K. – New Westminster Provincial Court
/in All Successes, Assault & Threatening Charges/by Mike MinesCharges: Assault.
Issue: Whether there was a reasonable likelihood of a conviction and whether it was in the public interest to proceed.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to provide additional information and persuaded Crown counsel stay the charge upon our client completing the Alternative Measures Program. No criminal record.
R. vs. K.L. – Vancouver Police Investigation
/in All Successes, Assault & Threatening Charges/by Mike MinesCharge: Assault Peace Officer.
Issue: Whether there was a substantial likelihood of a conviction in this case which involved an alleged assault of a police officer.
Result: Mr. Gauthier provided information and a video to Crown counsel which showed that the police made an unlawful arrest thereby giving our client lawful grounds to defend himself. Mr. Gauthier was able to persuade Crown to not approve any charges. No criminal record.
R. vs. C.D. – Vernon Provincial Court
/in All Successes, Assault & Threatening Charges, In the News - do not use this category/by Mike MinesCharges: Assault with a weapon; Mischief to property.
Issues: Whether there was a substantial likelihood of a conviction and whether it was in the public interest to proceed with the criminal prosecution in this case where our client allegedly intentionally collided with the complainant’s vehicle.
Result: Mr. Gauthier provided additional information to Crown counsel and was able to persuade Crown to resolve this matter with a s.810 Recognizance (Peace Bond).
R. vs. R.V. – Surrey Provincial Court
/in All Successes, Driving Cases/by Mike MinesCharge: Driving While Prohibited.
Issue: Given our client’s circumstances and the circumstances in which he drove, whether it was in the public interest to proceed with the charge.
Result: Mr. Mines presented our client’s background information to Crown and was able to persuade Crown to procceed on the lesser charge of Driving without a valid drivers’ licence. Rather than a 12 month minimum driving prohibition, our client was sentenced to a nighttime driving prohibition from 10 pm to 6 am.
R. vs. M.M. – Vancouver Provincial Court
/in All Successes, Property Offences/by Mike MinesCharges: Attempted Breaking and Entering; Breaking and Entering.
Issue: Whether our client could be released on bail given the Crown’s concerns about our client’s potential to commit further offences.
Result: Mr. Johnston worked with our client to develop a plan which ultimately persuaded Crown to consent to his release on reasonable conditions, even though our client was alleged to have committed these offences while already on bail with numerous other charges, including several counts of breaking and entering.
