Charges: Uttering Threats; Extortion.
Issue: Given the age of the charges and the rehabilitative steps our client had taken, whether a jail sentence was appropriate.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to persuade Crown counsel to seek a non custodial sentence. After hearing Mr. Mines’ submissions, the Court granted our client a suspended sentence and placed him on probation for 16 months. No jail.
Charge: Assault (domestic).
Issues: Given the information we provided to Crown counsel regarding the complainant’s past unlawful behaviour toward our client, whether there was a substantial likelihood of a conviction.
Result: As a result of the information we provided, Crown counsel withdrew the charge. No further bail restrictions. No criminal record.
Charges: Assault (by choking); Mischief.
Issue: Given the rehabilitative steps we were able to guide our client through, whether it was in the public interest to proceed with the criminal prosecution.
Result: Mr. Gauthier was able to provide information including our client’s counselling records to crown counsel and persuaded Crown to enter a stay of proceedings. No criminal record.
Charge: Criminal harassment.
Issue: Whether there were reasonable and probable grounds to believe that our client had committed a criminal offence.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to provide police with video and text message records that caused the investigator to conclude that a criminal prosecution was not appropriate. No charge was approved.
Charge: Criminal Harassment; Breach of a recognizance.
Issue: Whether it was appropriate to resolve this domestic harassment by ending the criminal prosecution.
Result: Mr. Gauthier was able to persuade Crown counsel to stay the criminal charges upon. our client entering into a Peace Bond for a period of 12 months. No criminal record.
Charge: Possession of child pornography.
Issue: Whether police would be able to prove that our client was the only person that had access to the IP address on which the unlawful material was downloaded.
Result: Mr. Mines provided information to the police investigator that led the investigator to close the file with no charges recommended against our client. No jail. No criminal record.
Charges: Assault; Uttering Threats.
Issue: Whether it was appropriate for the court to enter a conviction.
Result: Mr. Gauthier was able to steer our client through a course of rehabilitation and was able to persuade Crown counsel and the Court to grant our client a conditional discharge. No criminal conviction.
Charge: Breach of Probation (no contact).
Issue: Whether the Crown could prove that our client intended to breach the “no contact” order that he was subject to.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to persuade Crown counsel that our client bumped into the complainant accidentally. Crown counsel entered a stay of proceedings, bringing the matter to an end. No criminal record.
Charge: Assault (domestic).
Issue: In light of the rehabilitative steps our client completed, whether there was a public interest in proceeding with this child discipline/assault case.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to rely on the extraordinary circumstances of the case and our client’s commitment to ongoing family counselling. He was able to persuade Crown counsel to enter a stay of proceedings. No criminal record.
Charge: Assault (domestic).
Issue: In light of the rehabilitative steps our client completed, whether there was a public interest in proceeding with this child discipline/assault case.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to rely on the extraordinary circumstances of the case and our client’s commitment to ongoing family counselling. He was able to persuade Crown counsel to enter a stay of proceedings. No criminal record.
Charges: Failing to remain at the scene of an accident.
Issue: Whether our client was obligated to provide a possibly incriminating statement to the adjuster that could have led to criminal charges and a loss of insurance coverage.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to provide the required information to ICBC on our client’s behalf. No charges were recommended. No loss of insurance coverage.
Charge: Sexual Assault.
Issue: The credibility and reliability of the complainant and our client who both testified in this historic sexual assault case.
Result: After 9 hours of deliberations, the jury was deadlocked and could not reach an unanimous decision. No conviction. The trial judge remitted the matter back to court to set a new trial.
