Unlawfully in a Dwelling (Sentencing Cases)

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

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)


Note up: 349(1) and (2)

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".
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Keywords: None
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.
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Keywords: None
2013
R v Wiens, 2013 ABPC 15 (CanLII), per Pharo J AB   PC 16 months imprisonment
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Keywords: None
2012
R v Fraser, 2012 NSCA 118 (CanLII), per Hamilton JA NS   CA 3 years imprisonment
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Keywords: None
R v House, 2012 NLCA 41 (CanLII), per Welsh JA NL   CA discharge
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Keywords: None
2006
R v Wells, 2006 NSSC 313 (CanLII), per S MacDonald J NS   SC 3 years imprisonment
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Keywords: None
2005
R v Monteiro and Ford, 2005 BCSC 1201 (CanLII), per Joyce J BC   SC 3.5 years imprisonment
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Keywords: None
R v Savard, 2005 ABCA 432 (CanLII), per Costigan JA AB   CA 4 months imprisonment
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Keywords: None
2004
R v Barnes, 2004 NSSC 257 (CanLII), per Kennedy CJ NS   SC 2 years imprisonment
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Keywords: None
2003
R v Mattice, 2003 BCCA 370 (CanLII), per Donald JA BC   CA 18 months imprisonment
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Keywords: None
1993
R v Taylor,
1993 CanLII 3060 (NB QB), , 135 N.B.R.(2d) 213 (TD), per Riordon J
NB   SC fine and probation
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Keywords: None