The accused was charged with several firearm offences and possession of cocaine after police executed a search warrant at a residence and located a shotgun and crack cocaine in a bedroom where the accused was found.
The Crown relied primarily on police testimony to establish that the accused had knowledge and control of the contraband.
The court found significant reliability issues in the police evidence, including inconsistencies regarding whether entry photographs were taken before or after the search and a lack of contemporaneous notes documenting critical events.
The court also found insufficient evidence connecting the accused to the bedroom or demonstrating control over its contents.
As a result, the Crown failed to prove knowledge and control beyond a reasonable doubt.
