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R. v. Kearney, [1992] 3 S.C.R. 807

 

Her Majesty The Queen                                                                   Appellant

 

v.

 

William J. Kearney                                                                            Respondent

 

and

 

The Attorney General of Canada                                                     Intervener

 

Indexed as:  R. v. Kearney

 

File No.:  22916.

 

1992:  December 1.

 

Present:  Lamer C.J. and La Forest, L'Heureux‑Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier, McLachlin and Iacobucci JJ.

 

on appeal from the court of appeal for new brunswick

 

                   Constitutional law ‑‑ Charter of Rights  ‑‑ Abuse of process ‑‑ Accused granted stay of proceedings following his dismissal ‑‑ No violation of accused's rights under Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  or abuse of process ‑‑ Accused ordered to stand trial.

 

Cases Cited

 

                   Applied:  R. v. Vermette, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 985.

 

                   APPEAL from a judgment of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal (1992), 122 N.B.R. (2d) 282, 306 A.P.R. 282, 70 C.C.C. (3d) 507, 13 C.R. (4th) 41, 40 C.C.E.L. 56, dismissing the Crown's appeal from a stay of proceedings granted by the Court of Queen's Bench (1991), 118 N.B.R. (2d) 432, 296 A.P.R. 432, 40 C.C.E.L. 44.  Appeal allowed.

 

                   Michael F. Brown, for the appellant.

 

                   C. David Hughes, Q.C., for the respondent.

 

                   Bruce A. MacFarlane, Q.C., and Nancy L. Irving, for the intervener.

 

//Lamer C.J.//

 

                   The judgment of the Court was delivered orally by

 

                   Lamer C.J. ‑‑ We are all of the view that this appeal should be allowed and the respondent be sent back to stand trial.  R. v. Vermette, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 985, governs the appeal.  On the facts of this case, we find that there has been no violation of the respondent's Charter  rights nor has there been an abuse of process.

 

                   The appeal is allowed, the judgments below are set aside and a new trial is ordered.

 

                   Judgment accordingly.

 

                   Solicitor for the appellant:  The Attorney General for Ontario, Toronto.

 

                   Solicitors for the respondent:  Hughes, Campbell, Fredericton.

 

                   Solicitor for the intervener:  The Deputy Attorney General of Canada, Ottawa.

 

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