Unlawfully in a Dwelling (Sentencing Cases)

This page was last substantively updated or reviewed January 2018. (Rev. # 92709)

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Offence Wording

Being unlawfully in dwelling-house

349 (1) Every person who, without lawful excuse, enters or is in a dwelling-house with intent to commit an indictable offence in it is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years or of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

Presumption

(2) For the purposes of proceedings under this section, evidence that an accused, without lawful excuse, entered or was in a dwelling-house is, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, proof that he entered or was in the dwelling-house with intent to commit an indictable offence therein.
R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 349; 1997, c. 18, s. 21; 2018, c. 29, s. 35.

– CCC (CanLII), (DOJ)

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Case Digests

Case Name	Prv.	Crt.	Sentence	Summary
2017
R v Sinclair, 2017 MBCA 9 (CanLII), per Hamilton JA	MB	CA	7.5 years imprisonment (dwelling) 5 years imprisonment (robbery) 2 years (threats) 1 year (personation)	The judge referred to it as a "home invasion". Find summaries of case.
2016
R v Pardy, 2016 CanLII 24209 (NLTD), per Handrigan J	NL	SC	time served + probation	The offender plead guilty to 349 and theft under 5,000. Offender served 36 days on remand. Find summaries of case.
2013
R v Wiens, 2013 ABPC 15 (CanLII), per Pharo J	AB	PC	16 months imprisonment	Find summaries of case.
2012
R v Fraser, 2012 NSCA 118 (CanLII), per Hamilton JA	NS	CA	3 years imprisonment	Find summaries of case.
R v House, 2012 NLCA 41 (CanLII), per Welsh JA	NL	CA	discharge	Find summaries of case.
2006
R v Wells, 2006 NSSC 313 (CanLII), per S MacDonald J	NS	SC	3 years imprisonment	Find summaries of case.
2005
R v Monteiro and Ford, 2005 BCSC 1201 (CanLII), per Joyce J	BC	SC	3.5 years imprisonment	Find summaries of case.
R v Savard, 2005 ABCA 432 (CanLII), per Costigan JA	AB	CA	4 months imprisonment	Find summaries of case.
2004
R v Barnes, 2004 NSSC 257 (CanLII), per Kennedy CJ	NS	SC	2 years imprisonment	Find summaries of case.
2003
R v Mattice, 2003 BCCA 370 (CanLII), per Donald JA	BC	CA	18 months imprisonment	Find summaries of case.
1993
R v Taylor, 1993 CanLII 3060 (NB QB), , 135 N.B.R.(2d) 213 (TD), per Riordon J	NB	SC	fine and probation	Find summaries of case.