View source for Incest (Offence)

{{Currency2|January|2021}}
{{LevelOne}}{{HeaderOffences}}

{{OffenceBox |OffenceTitle=Incest 
|OffencePage=Incest 
|Section=155 
|Act={{OBCCC}} 
|CrownElection={{OBIndictableElection}} 
|Jurisdiction={{OBJurisdictionAll}} 
|Bail={{OBBailJudge}} 
|IndictableDisp={{OBDispMinVar14orLife}} 
|IndictableMin={{OBTime|5 years}} (if under 16 yrs)
|IndictableMax={{OBTime|14 years}} 
}}

==Overview==
{{OverviewV|incest}}

; Pleadings
{{PleadingsHeader-N}}
{{PleadingsIndictableList-N|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}} | {{No}} | {{Yes}} | {{Yes-14Years}} }}
{{PleadingsEnd}}

{{PleadingsIndictElection|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}}}

; Release
{{ReleaseHeader}}
|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}} || {{ReleaseProfile-Indictable}} 
|-
{{ReleaseEnd}}

{{ReleaseOptions-Indictable|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}}}

:''<u>Reverse Onus Bail</u>''
{{ReverseOnusCirc}}

:''Fingerprints and Photos''
{{IDCriminalAct|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}} }}

; Publication Bans
{{486.4PublicationBan|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}}}

{{GeneralPubBan}}

; Offence Designations
{{DesignationHeader}}
|-
|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}} || {{XMark}} <!--wire--> || {{OKMark}} (Primary) <!--DO-->||{{OKMark}} <!--SPIO--> || {{XMark}} <!--consent--> || {{OKMark}} <!--IRPA -->
{{DesignationEnd}}
{{DOPrimaryDesignation|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}} }}

{{SPIODesignation|A|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}} }}

{{SeeBelowForAncillary}}

{{reflist|2}}

==Offence Wording==
{{quotation2|
; Incest
155 (1) Every one commits incest who, knowing that another person is by blood relationship his or her parent, child, brother, sister, grandparent or grandchild, as the case may be, has sexual intercourse with that person.
<br>
; Punishment
(2) Everyone who commits incest is guilty of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 14 years and, if the other person is under the age of 16 years, to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of five years.
<br>
; Defence
(3) No accused shall be determined by a court to be guilty of an offence under this section if the accused was under restraint, duress or fear of the person with whom the accused had the sexual intercourse at the time the sexual intercourse occurred.

{{Removed|(4)}}
R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. C-46}}, s. 155; R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.)}}, s. 21; {{LegHistory10s|2012, c. 1}}, s. 14.
|{{CCCSec2|155}}
|{{NoteUp|155|1|2|3}}
}}

===Draft Form of Charges===
{{seealso|Draft Form of Charges}}
{{DraftHeader}}
|-
| 155(1)
| incest
|"{{ellipsis1}}, did, knowing that [name1] was by blood relationship his or her parent, child, brother, sister, grandparent or grandchild, as the case may be, has sexual intercourse with that person{{ToWit-Conduct}} {{thereby|incest}} {{contrary|155(1)}}."
{{DraftEnd}}

==Proof of the Offence==
{{ElementHeader}}
{{ElementLeft}}

{{Proving|incest|155}}
{{InitialElements}}
# {{box}} the culprit has "sexual intercourse" with a person;
# {{box}} the culprit was aware that the person "is by blood relationship his or her parent, child, brother, sister, grandparent or grandchild"

{{ElementEnd}}

==Interpretation of the Offence==

; Purpose of the Offence
The primary intent of parliament in creating this offence was to "prevent genetic mutations that can result from inbreeding."<ref>
{{CanLIIRx|KH|gmk2k|2015 ONSC 7760 (CanLII)}}{{perONSC|Barnes J}}
</ref>

A secondary purpose for the creation of the offence is the "protection of vulnerable members of the family."<ref>
{{ibid1|KH}} ("The defence argument falls apart when considered in the context of the second legislative intent, which is the protection of vulnerable members of the family")
</ref> 

; "Brother" and "sister"
{{quotation2|
155<br>
{{removed|(1), (2) and (3)}}
; Definition of “brother” and “sister”
(4) In this section, “brother” and “sister”, respectively, include half-brother and half-sister.

R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. C-46}}, s. 155; R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.)}}, s. 21; {{LegHistory10s|2012, c. 1}}, s. 14.
|{{CCCSec2|155}}
|{{NoteUp|155|4}}
}}

{{reflist|2}}
===Sexual Intercourse===
Under s. 4(5), "sexual intercourse is complete on penetration to even the slightest degree, notwithstanding that seed is not emitted."<ref>
R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. C-46}}, s. 4; R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.)}}, s. 3; {{LegHistory90s|1994, c. 44}}, s. 3;  {{LegHistory90s|1997, c. 18}}, s. 2;  {{LegHistory00s|2008, c. 18}}, s. 1; {{LegHistory10s|2014, c. 31}}, s. 2.<br>
see as well use of s. 4(5) in [[Procuring and Living on the Avails of Prostitution (Repealed Offence)]]
</ref> "Sexual intercourse" in this context is not limited to vagina intercourse and can include anal intercourse as well.<ref>
{{CanLIIRx|KH|gmk2k|2015 ONSC 7760 (CanLII)}}{{perONSC| Barnes J}}<br>
</ref>

{{reflist|2}}

===Evidence===
{{Section274to275|s. 155}}
{{Section274Offences}}
{{Section275Offences}}
{{Section276to277|s. 155}}
{{Section276Offences}}
{{Section277Offences}}
<!--
{{Section278Offences}}
-->
{{Section278.2Offences|s. 155}}

{{reflist|2}}

==Participation of Third Parties==
{{seealso|Role of the Victim and Third Parties|Testimonial Aids for Young, Disabled or Vulnerable Witnesses}}

; Complainant Privacy Rights in Sexual Offences
{{CPR-SexOffences}}

; Testimonial Aids
{{3rdPTestimonyAids}}

; On Finding of Guilt
{{VictimHeader}} <!-- Sections / Notice of Agree / Notice of Restitution / Notice of VIS -->
|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}} || || ||
|-
{{VictimEnd}}
{{606NoticeSPIO|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}}}

{{RestitutionNotice}}

{{VISNotice}}

==Sentencing Principles and Ranges==
{{seealsoSentencing}}
{{seealsoSentencingSexual}}

; Maximum Penalties
{{SProfileMaxHeader}}
{{SProfileMax|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}} | {{NA}} | {{Max14Years}} }}
{{SProfileEnd}}

{{MaxPenaltyIndictment|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}} |'''{{Max14Years}}'''}}

; Minimum Penalties
{{SProfileMinHeader}}
{{SProfileMin|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}<br>Victim Under 16 years | {{NA}} | {{Max5Years}} | Same }}
{{SProfileEnd}}

If the other person is under the age of 16 years, the minimum penalty is '''{{Min5Years}}'''.

; Available Dispositions
{{SProfileAvailHeader}}
|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}|| {{NA}} || {{SProfileNoDischargeOrCSO}}
|-
|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}<br> Victim Under Age of 16 || {{NA}} || {{SProfileOnlyFedJail}}
|-
{{SProfileEnd}}

{{NoDischargeAvailable|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}}}

{{NoCSOAvailable|C|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}}}

{{OnlyJailAvailable|s. 155 [when victim under the age of 16]}}

; Consecutive Sentences
{{ConsecutiveSexOffence}}

===Principles===
{{YVictimPrinciple}}

{{reflist|2}}

===Ranges===
{{seealsoRanges|Incest}}

==Ancillary Sentencing Orders==
{{seealso|Ancillary Orders}}
	
; Offence-specific Orders
{{AOrderHeader}}

{{AOrder1| [[DNA Orders]] |s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}|
* {{PrimDNA1|s. 155}} }}

{{AOrder1| [[SOIRA Orders]] |s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}| 
* {{SOIRA1|B|s. 155}} }}

{{AOrder1| [[Section 161 Orders]] |s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}|
* {{Section161|s. 155}} }}

{{AOrder1| [[Firearms Prohibition Orders]] |s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}|
* {{Section110|s. 155}} }}

{{AOrder1| [[Delayed Parole Eligibility|Delayed Parole Order]] |s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}}|
* {{ParoleDelayEligible|1|s. 155}} }}
{{AOrderEnd}}

; General Sentencing Orders
{{GeneralSentencingOrders}}

; General Forfeiture Orders
{{GeneralForfeitureOrders}}


==Record Suspensions and Pardons== 

{{RecordSuspension|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}} }}

; Victim Under 18 Years
{{RecordSuspensionNo|s. 155 {{DescrSec|155}} (where victim is under the age of 18)}}

==History==
{{seealso|List of Criminal Code Amendments|Table of Concordance (Criminal Code)}}

* [[History of Incest (Offence)]]

==See Also==
; References
* [[Pre-Trial and Trial Motions Checklist]]

{{OffencesNavBar/Sexual}}