Mabel Cheuk Ting Lai

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.

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.