Trudi-Ann Vanessa Newby-Parkes

The defendants, Basil Dixon and Nathan Brown, were charged with conspiracy to import cocaine following a large-scale police investigation ("Project Southam").

The trial, heard by a judge alone, relied heavily on intercepted communications and surveillance.

The court found that voice identification evidence from a detective constable was unreliable due to limited exposure and lack of formal training.

However, based on circumstantial evidence, including intercepts and surveillance footage, the court identified Dixon as "B" and Brown as "R" in the communications.

Applying the co-conspirator exception to the hearsay rule, the court found that the Crown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Dixon conspired to import cocaine from Guyana (Count One) and that both Dixon and Brown conspired to import cocaine using a pilot (Count Three).

A young person, P.W., was sentenced for multiple firearms-related offences and breaches of court orders, including careless use of a firearm, criminal negligence causing bodily harm, and possession of a prohibited firearm.

The charges stemmed from two separate incidents, one involving the possession of a sawed-off shotgun and another where a 14-year-old victim sustained a devastating brain injury from a gunshot.

The court applied the principles of youth sentencing under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, emphasizing accountability, rehabilitation, and reintegration.

Accepting a joint submission from Crown and defence, the court imposed a one-year custody and supervision order (eight months open custody, four months supervision), with credit for pre-sentence custody and restrictive bail conditions.

Ancillary orders included a five-year weapons prohibition and a DNA order.

A young person, P.W., was charged with multiple firearms-related offences and breaches of court orders after a 14-year-old, A.D., was shot in the head at her home.

The central issue at trial was the identity of the shooter.

The court, relying on circumstantial evidence from two credible witnesses (A.D. and Y.W.) and physical evidence, found P.W. was the shooter, rejecting the defence's alternate suspect theory and the unreliable testimony of A.D.'s father.

P.W. was found guilty of careless use of a firearm, criminal negligence causing bodily harm, and two counts of failing to comply with release orders (no weapons and house arrest).

He was acquitted of unauthorized possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of a loaded prohibited firearm due to insufficient evidence regarding the specific classification of the unrecovered firearm.

Several other charges were dismissed by the Crown.

The defendant, Garnett Akeele Grant, was found guilty after trial of five drug offences, including possession of fentanyl, crack cocaine, powdered cocaine, and methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking, and simple possession of oxycodone.

The Crown sought a global sentence of 3.5 to 4 years' imprisonment.

The court considered the gravity of the offences, particularly the dangers of fentanyl, alongside significant mitigating factors, including the defendant's youth (18 at the time of offence), first-time offender status, challenging upbringing, and substantial rehabilitative efforts since his arrest.

Finding exceptional circumstances, the court imposed a conditional sentence of two years less a day, followed by three years of probation, a $300 fine for simple possession, a 10-year weapons prohibition, and forfeiture of seized drugs and money.