Sexual interference
R v KJB-R
A publication ban applies. The offender is not named.
- Below the Crown's ask
Sentence and the Crown's position
What the law allows
The offender pleaded guilty to one count of sexual interference with a child under 16, committed weekly over about twenty months. The Crown sought seven years in a federal institution; the defence sought a conditional sentence or, alternatively, no more than four years. Judge Atwood imposed six years of imprisonment, placing the case at the lower end of a 7 to 9 year range because of the offender's lack of record, guilty plea and modestly reduced moral culpability.
In the judge's words
1Situating Mr B-R’s case at the lower end of the 7-9-year range (given his lack of record and eventual guilty plea on his twenty-fourth appearance), and recognizing Mr B-R’s reduced level of moral culpability, the Court imposes a 6-year term of imprisonment in a federal institution.
The record
- Convicted of
- Sexual interference (CC 151)
- Prior convictions
- 0 prior convictions1
- At the time of the offence
- Not stated1
- Mandatory minimum
- Found unconstitutional or not applied under a binding ruling1
- Appeal
- Not yet checked
- Counsel
- Crown: Paul Drysdale
Defence: Robert Sutherland
Sources
- R v KJB-R, 2026 NSPC 22 Court decision, CanLII, May 26, 2026
[2] The prosecution seeks a sentence of seven years in a federal institution, along with ancillary orders.
[30] The one-year mandatory-minimum penalty was found unconstitutional in R v Hood, 2018 NSCA 18 [Hood], aff’g 2016 NSPC 78.
[10] Mr B-R is 25 years of age. He has no criminal record.
[65] Situating Mr B-R’s case at the lower end of the 7-9-year range (given his lack of record and eventual guilty plea on his twenty-fourth appearance), and recognizing Mr B-R’s reduced level of moral culpability, the Court imposes a 6-year term of imprisonment in a federal institution.
[4] For the reasons that follow, I sentence Mr B-R to a term of imprisonment of six years, to be served in a federal penitentiary.
- R v KJB-R, 2026 NSPC 22 Court decision, Courts of Nova Scotia