Costas Stratos

Sharoze Raja pleaded guilty to five counts, including two armed robberies (bank and armoured truck), unlawful possession of a loaded restricted firearm, breach of a YCJA weapons prohibition, and failure to comply with a release order.

The offences involved significant threats of violence with firearms.

The court considered aggravating factors such as victim impact, planning, and the offender's role, alongside mitigating factors including his youth, guilty plea, remorse, difficult background (family violence, racism, learned helplessness), and harsh pre-sentence custody conditions.

The Crown sought an eight-year global sentence, while the Defence sought the five-year mandatory minimum.

The court imposed a global sentence of six years imprisonment, less credit for pre-sentence custody and restrictive bail conditions, resulting in 761 days (approximately 25 months) to serve.

Ancillary orders included a lifetime weapons prohibition and a DNA order.

The accused was charged with threatening death to two individuals, assaulting one with a weapon, and failing to comply with a recognizance.

The charges arose from an incident on March 19, 2017 at a residential property in Scarborough.

The Crown presented evidence from the alleged victims and supporting video and audio recordings.

The defence argued that the injuries were self-inflicted and that the allegations were fabricated.

The court found the Crown's evidence credible and corroborated by objective evidence, while finding the accused's testimony contradicted by video evidence and lacking credibility.

The accused was convicted on all counts.

This criminal trial concerned allegations of sexual assault and voyeurism against two accused, M.S. and R.S., involving a child complainant, A.R. The court meticulously assessed the credibility and reliability of the complainant and key Crown witnesses, Q.W. and P.K., noting inconsistencies, exaggerations, and troubling explanations for delayed reporting.

The court applied the W.(D.) framework for reasonable doubt, concluding that the Crown's evidence was insufficient to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

All charges were dismissed.

The accused was charged with uttering threats, assault on three police officers, obstruction of justice, fraudulent personation, and possession of marijuana following his arrest for public intoxication.

The trial examined events occurring on January 5-6, 2012, spanning arrest, transport, booking, strip search, and cell detention.

The court found the Crown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused obstructed police by falsely identifying himself as his brother Richard Young and was in possession of marijuana.

However, the Crown failed to prove the threat and assault charges.

The court found the defence established on a balance of probabilities that the accused's Charter rights under sections 7 and 12 were violated through excessive force applied by police at the booking parade and in the holding cell.