Principe de Kienapple

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General Principles

The rule against multiple convictions, known typically as the "Kienapple" principle, prevents multiple convictions for a single criminal matter. That is to say that Kienapple will apply where "the offences charged do not describe different criminal wrongs, but instead describe different ways of committing the same criminal wrong."

Requirement for Kienapple

There are two components to the Kienapple principle. Before it can be applied there must be "both a factual and legal nexus between the charges."

Factual Nexus

The two offence must "arise from the same ‘cause’, ‘matter’, or ‘delict’, and if there is sufficient proximity between the offences charged." The requirements of a factual nexus "will be satisfied by an affirmative answer to the question: Does the same act of the accused ground each of the charges?"

There should be no "additional and distinguishing" element differentiating between the two offences.

The Kienapple principle will apply where the same transaction gives rise to convictions for two or more offences which have "substantially the same elements."

Legal Nexus

There must be a legal connection (ie. nexus) between the offences as well as a factual connection. The offence elements must have sufficient correspondence with each other. That is, they must be “substantially” the same. The question of legal nexus is a "nuanced" exercise. Courts must "compare the constituent elements of the respective offences together with their societal purpose as may be established by statutory and jurisprudential interpretation." The focus is upon the “the presence or absence of additional distinguishing elements" rather than simply matching and comparing offence elements.

Even where there are no distinguishing elements, the requirement of legal nexus is not necessarily satisfied. Kienapple will not apply where:

1. where the offences are designed to protect different societal interests, "evils", or "wrongs",
2. where the offences concern violence against different victims, or
3. where the offences proscribe different consequences.

Comparisons of penalties between offences is a factor to consider for the legal nexus.

See also: R c Cook, 2010 ONSC 4534 (CanLII), par Hill J

Effect of Principle

Where Kienapple applies, the offence which is conditionally stayed is the “lesser” of the two.

Procedure

In trial, the court cannot consider the issue of Kienapple until the court first is satisfied that the Crown has proven the offender had committed all of the offences at issue.

Where two offences are admitted but believed to be subject to the Kienapple principled and stayed, the accused may accept responsibility for the offence and seek a stay instead of entering a conviction on the charge.

Specific Offences

The following offences have been found to be subject to the Kienapple Principle in certain circumstances:

• theft and possession

The following offences have been found not to be subject to the Kienapple Principle:

• Impaired driving, dangerous driving and criminal negligence
• aggravated sexual assault and choking
• Possession of a prohibited firearm with accessible ammo is not an included offence to possession of a loaded firearm.
• group sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon are different enough offences not to be captured by Kienapple.
• sexual interference and sexual assault are often kienappled.

Unlawful Confinement

A conviction for both kidnapping and unlawful confinement should be subject to the Kienapple principle and one of the two offences should be stayed.

See Also

• Kienapple (Cases)
• Double Jeopardy, Res Judicata and Issue Estoppel