Brandon Adamson was 19 when he broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home and tried to murder her.  He was found guilty by a jury of four offences: attempted murder, assault with a weapon, break and enter, and aggravated assault. He then faced sentencing before Gray J: 2013 ONSC 2365.

 

Justice Gray stayed the convictions for aggravated assault and assault with a weapon pursuant to the principles of Kienapple.

The Crown took the position that a 10 year sentence was the appropriate disposition; Adamson argued that a sentence of 7 years. When the Crown advised the Court of their position on sentence, Gray J offered the following to counsel:

…my initial reaction was that the 10-year sentence proposed by the Crown is too low, and I might consider a longer period of incarceration to be appropriate. As required by appellant authority (eg R v Thompson, 2013 ONCA 202), I afforded both counsel an opportunity to make submission as to why I should not impose a longer sentence [para 19].