R v Christie

Siu Shun Ho and Christopher Christie appeared for sentencing having each pleaded guilty to two representative charges of dishonestly using a document. The Crown submitted that an end sentence of around four years and six months' imprisonment should be imposed for both of them with a modest reduction for good character. Ho submitted that an end sentence of between two years and eight months' and two years and 10 months' imprisonment should be imposed. Christie submitted that an end sentence of two years and five months' imprisonment should be imposed and that a distinction should be made between him and Ho to reflect his lesser culpability. The Court considered that both defendants should be treated as having the same level of culpability. Both were heavily involved in the offending and it was not possible to separate out the individual roles each defendant played. The Court considered that a starting point of four years and six months' imprisonment was appropriate. The Court imposed a minimum period of imprisonment of half the end sentence on both defendants.