Do you know that a charge of Public Mischief in Canada is
tried as a criminal offence that is punishable by up to 5 years of jail-time?
Circumstances and the defence strategy will dictate the severity of the
resulting sentence so you better be sure that you equip yourself with what you legally
need if charged with Public Mischief.
First, What is Public
Mischief?
In Canada, Public Mischief is committed when a person falsely
reports another for any reason. Even in instances where the officer do not
believe the false reports, simply trying to mislead the authorities can still
lead to a charge of Attempted Public Mischief.
- You committed Public Mischief if you’ve ever:
- Made a false statement to accuse someone of an offence
- Tried to accuse someone to divert attention from yourself
- Did something to intentionally cause people to suspect somebody of committing an act that they didn’t do
- Falsely reporting the death of a person who is still living
Why Is Public Mischief
A Crime?
The offence of Public Mischief is categorized as a crime to
discourage people from filing false reports with the intent to mislead police
officers and/or other people. Public Mischief is actually more serious than it
initially looks because a false accusation can destroy lives and usurp limited
police resources.
How to Get Acquitted
from a Public Mischief Charge?
In order to be convicted, the Crown has to prove that the
accused filed a false report, that the report is truly fraudulent, that the
police responded to the false report, and that the false report caused the
police to waste their time pursuing the false report. Because of these
requirements, a good defence can help someone get acquitted or get a lesser
charge.
Were you charged with a Public Mischief Charge? Calvin Barry Law might be able to help! Contact us as soon as possible so we can discuss the details of your charge and formulate the best defence
for your case. The sooner you act to get a lawyer involved, the sooner this issue will get
resolved. Talk to Calvin Barry today!
