Charges: Indecent Act; Mischief (reduced to Peace Bond).
Issue: Whether the Crown could prove that our client intended to commit a criminal offence.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to persuade Crown counsel to enter a stay of proceedings on the the criminal charges upon our client entering into a Peace Bond. No criminal record.
Charges: Assault.
Issue: Given the Covid-19 pandemic, whether it was appropriate to refer our client into the Alternative Measures Program for this assault by spitting offence.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to provide Crown counsel with compelling information about our client which resulted in Crown allowing our client into Alternative Measures and staying the charge upon our client completing the program. No criminal record.
Charges: Assault with a Weapon; Uttering Threats x2; Unlawful Confinement.
Issues: Whether Crown could prove that a weapon was used or that the complainant was unlawfully confined.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to persuade Crown counsel to accept pleas to the lesser charges of common assault and uttering a threat. After hearing Mr. Mines’ submissions on our client’s behalf, the trail judge granted our client a conditional discharge. No jail; no permanent criminal record.
Charge: Driving while prohibited.
Issue: Whether it was in the public interest to proceed with the prohibited driving charge.
Result: Mr. Johnson was able to persuade Crown counsel to proceed on the lesser charge of driving without possessing a valid driver’s licence. Rather than the 12 month minimum mandatory driving prohibition, our client received a 4 month prohibition.
Charge: Assault (domestic).
Issue: Given the rehabilitative steps we were able to guide our client through, whether it was in the public interest to continue with the criminal prosecution.
Result: Mr. Johnson was able to persuade Crown counsel to enter a stay of proceedings on the assault charge upon you entering into a s. 810 peace bond. No criminal record.
Charge: Fraud Under $5000.
Issue: Whether there was a public interest in proceeding with the prosecution in this extended health insurance fraud matter.
Result: Mr. Johnson was able to negotite a civil settlement and to persuade the investigator to not pursue a prosecution. No criminal record.
Charge: Uttering a Threat (reduced to Peace Bond).
Issues: Whether the words uttered were clearly a threat or not.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to persuade Crown counsel that the words were vague. Crown agreed to end the criminal prosecution upon our client entering into a Peace Bond with a “no contact” condition. No criminal record.
Charges: Mischief to Property (x2).
Issue: Whether, given our client’s circumstances, it was appropriate to continue the criminal prosecution of this matter which involved damage in excess of $5000 to two vehicles.
Result: Mr. Johnson was able to persuade Crown counsel to allow our client into the Alternative Measures Program and to stay both criminal charges upon completion. No criminal record.
Charges: Assault, Uttering Threats.
Issue: Given the context of this threatening and assault by spitting offence, whether it was appropriate for our client to be convicted.
Result: Mr. Gauthier provided additional information to the Crown and the Court about our client and was able to persuade the judge to grant our client a conditional discharge. No criminal conviction.
Charges: Sexual Assault (reduced to assault).
Issue: Given our client’s mental health issues, whether it was in the public interest for Crown to continue with the sex assaukt prosecution.
Result: Mr. Johnson was able to provide information top Crown counsel and to persuade Crown to proceed with a charge of common assault. After hearing Mr. Johnson’s submissions, the court granted our client a conditional discharge. no criminal conviction. no jail, no sex offender registry.
Charges: Assault Causing Bodily Harm; Choking; Uttering Threats (domestic).
Issue: Whether the complainant’s allegation was credible, given the alibi evidence Mr. Johnson was able to provide to Crown counsel.
Result: Based on Mr. Johnson’s representations, Crown counsel entered a stay of proceedings on all charges. No jail. No criminal record.
Charges: Assault Causing Bodily Harm, Threatening, Mischief to property, Resist Arrest.
Issue: Whether our client would be sentenced to the 4 month jail sentence Crown was seeking.
Result: On the eve of the trial date, Mr. Mines was able to persuade Crown to only proceed on the assault causing bodily harm charge and, after hearing Mr. Mines’ submissions, the court granted our client a suspended sentence. Crown stayed the remaining charges. No jail.
I don’t normally write reviews unless I’m unhappy, but this time I was so impressed I needed to share. Ian Gauthier at Mines & Company Law gave us prompt service and thoughtful planning about our next move
with our case. He listened well to our concerns and showed a lot of compassion when we needed it the most. We highly recommend him.
On July 24, 2020 the Ontario Court of Appeal (“ONCA”) released a potentially monumental decision. In R v Sharma, 2020 ONCA 478, a majority of the panel of the Ontario Court of Appeal struck down portions of the Criminal Code which prevented judges from being able to grant a conditional sentence for many offences.
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