R. v. Siddiqui, 2008 ONCA 312

1The appellant appeals the sentence of twenty-one months in jail and three years probation he received after pleading guilty to six counts of fraud, two counts of personation and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud. He has served three months of that sentence. He submits that the trial judge erred by failing to impose a conditional sentence.

2The trial judge recognized that the paramount consideration in cases of large scale frauds such as this are denunciation and general deterrence. He turned his mind to whether a conditional sentence should be imposed in the particular circumstances including, as we read his reasons, the mitigating factors present in this case. The trial judge also took the mitigating factors into account by reducing the sentence that he otherwise thought fit.

3The appellant has not demonstrated any error in principle or that the sentence is clearly unreasonable. The appeal must be dismissed.