Mabel Cheuk Ting Lai

Owners convicted by default of red-light camera offences appealed after court administration changed the location code on their Certificates of Offence from a London code to a Mississauga code without notice.

The court held that, during the in-office default procedure, court administration had no power to amend the location code, whether on the Certificate itself or in ICON.

Applying the "complete and regular on its face" standard, the court found the incorrect code was not mere surplusage because it affected the online payment and search systems and had the potential to mislead or prejudice the appellants in deciding whether to default.

The convictions were struck, the Certificates of Offence were quashed, and the appellants were entitled to refunds of the fines paid.

The Ontario Court of Justice sentenced Rodolfo Sanchez-Neria to 8.5 years imprisonment for attempted murder, following a planned murder-for-hire shooting targeting Harpreet Hanjra.

The offender, aged 22 with no prior criminal record, shot Hanjra multiple times while he was driving his 6-year-old daughter to school.

The court considered significant aggravating factors including the use of a firearm, the presence of a child, and the public risk posed by the shooting.

Mitigating factors included the offender’s youth, guilty plea, harsh pre-trial custody conditions, and strong rehabilitative prospects supported by a solid community and family network.

The judge applied a 1.5:1 credit for 470 days served pre-trial, reflecting exceptionally harsh conditions including lockdowns, triple-bunking, and health risks.

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

The Ontario Court of Justice granted an application for a recount of votes in the electoral district of Mississauga–Erin Mills following Ontario’s 44th General Election held on February 27, 2025.

The applicants, including the Chief Electoral Officer and Returning Officer, sought the recount pursuant to sections 67, 69, and 71 of the Election Act due to the narrow margin of 20 votes between the two leading candidates, Sheref Sabawy and Qasir Dar.

The court emphasized the discretionary nature of ordering recounts even when the statutory threshold for a recount is met, balancing finality, reviewability, and public confidence in electoral outcomes.

The recount was ordered to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the democratic process despite no specific evidence of error.

The Ontario Court of Justice addressed appeals from convictions and sentences involving two electrical companies and their principals for multiple violations of the Consumer Protection Act, 2002.

The appellants argued that their in-home service agreements did not constitute "direct agreements" under the legislation and asserted a due diligence defence.

The court rejected these arguments, confirming that the definition of direct agreements extends to consumer-initiated service calls at a residence and that reliance on legal advice did not establish due diligence.

Ultimately, the court dismissed the conviction appeals and upheld the sentences, with the sole exception of removing a probation condition requiring reparation payments because the sentencing judge lacked the authority to impose it.

This criminal trial concerned eight counts against the accused, H.H., involving his former spouse and their daughter across three incidents.

The charges included sexual assault, assault, assault with a weapon, uttering death threats, mischief, and assault by strangulation.

The court assessed the credibility of the witnesses, finding the complainant and her brother credible, while disbelieving the accused.

Based on the evidence, the accused was found guilty on seven counts, including sexual assault, multiple assaults, assault with a weapon, uttering death threats, mischief, and assault by strangulation.

He was acquitted on one count of assault against his daughter due to reasonable doubt regarding intent.

Darcy Martin pleaded guilty to one count of Sexual Interference, contrary to s. 151 of the Criminal Code, involving a 15-year-old victim.

The court considered aggravating factors including a prior sexual assault record, the victim's age and vulnerability, a significant age difference, and the profound impact on the victim and her mother.

Mitigating factors included a guilty plea (though late), genuine remorse, proactive efforts to address sex addiction through counselling and 12-step programs, supportive family, positive employment history, and compliance with bail conditions.

The court emphasized denunciation and deterrence as primary objectives for child sexual offences, guided by R. v. Friesen.

The final sentence was three years imprisonment, along with mandatory ancillary orders including a lifetime weapons prohibition, a DNA order, a 20-year SOIRA registration, a victim fine surcharge, and a 10-year prohibition from positions of trust with minors.

The court also invited further submissions on internet accountability and no-contact orders.