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A young first-time offender is sentenced to 8 years imprisonment for multiple planned armed robberies.
This sentencing decision addresses multiple armed robbery offences and possession of a loaded restricted firearm by Travis Hinds, a young first-time offender.
The court considered the aggravating factors including the use and possession of firearms in multiple planned robberies, the serious injury caused to a victim by a firearm discharge, and the public safety risk posed by such crimes.
Mitigating factors such as Hinds' youth, guilty pleas, lack of prior record, and family support were also weighed.
The court imposed a global sentence of 8 years imprisonment, concurrent sentences for multiple counts, and ancillary orders including a lifetime weapons prohibition, DNA order, forfeiture of seized firearm and ammunition, and a no-contact order with victims.
The court stayed firearm charges due to unreasonable delay primarily caused by systemic judicial unavailability.
The applicant, Givonn Bowen-Wright, sought a stay of proceedings for firearm possession charges, arguing an infringement of his s. 11(b) Charter right to a trial within a reasonable time, as the total delay exceeded the 30-month Jordan ceiling.
The Crown opposed, attributing delay to the defence and arguing case complexity.
The court found that the primary cause of delay was institutional shortcomings, specifically judicial unavailability, and rejected the Crown's arguments regarding defence delay and case complexity.
The application was granted, and the proceedings were stayed.
