legally speaking - Justice Institute of British Columbia

LEGALLY SPEAKING:
Incidental or Collateral Crime
“Section 21(2) extends liability for crime in
two respects. The first has to do with the
persons whose participation in an
unlawful enterprise may attract liability.
And the second relates to the offence for
which participants in an unlawful
criminal enterprise may be held liable.
The offence to which s. 21(2) extends liability is not the original
“unlawful purpose” to which the subsection refers. The “offence” of
s. 21(2) is a different crime, one that a participant in the original
“unlawful purpose” commits in carrying out that original purpose.
And so it is that we sometimes say that s. 21(2) extends liability to
those engaged in one unlawful purpose to incidental or collateral
crimes: crimes committed by any participant (in the original
purpose) in carrying out the original purpose that the other knew
or should have known would likely be committed in pursuing the
original purpose.
Under s. 21(2), the liability of a party to a common unlawful
purpose for an incidental crime committed by another
participant requires proof of the party’s participation in the
original unlawful purpose, the commission of the incidental
crime by another participant and the required degree of foresight
of the likelihood that the incidental crime will be committed.
Consistent with general principle, each of these essential
elements, earlier described as “agreement”, “offence” and
“knowledge”, must be supported by an adequate evidentiary
record to warrant submission of this basis of liability to the jury.
What we require is some evidence on the basis of which a
reasonable jury, properly instructed, could make the findings of
fact necessary to establish each element of this mode of
participation.”– Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Watt in R. v. Simon
2010 ONCA 754 at paras. 40-43, references omitted.
Volume 11 Issue 1 - January/February 2011
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PAGE 5
POLICE MAY SEARCH VEHICLE
FOR IDENTIFYING DOCUMENTS
R. v. Burachenski, 2010 BCCA 159
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captured by s. 21(1). These persons have participated in a prior
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