A client accused of breaking and entering obtains an absolute discharge in Montréal

A client of our firm was charged with breaking and entering a place other than a dwelling-house and committing theft. In fact, our client worked in the construction field and had decided to steal tools valued at $1000.00 from his employer on the construction site. We provided evidence that, at the time of the events, our client was suffering from drug consumption problems and that he had sold the tools to pay off his debts related to this consumption. In addition, during our examination, we provided evidence that our client had completed 3 months of closed therapy and that he had been sober since the events. Our client wanted to obtain his contractor’s licence from La Régie du bâtiment, and a criminal record could jeopardize his chances of obtaining his licence and – at the same time – his career. During our arguments, we offered a donation of $500.00 to a charitable organization as a remedial measure, and the court concluded that it would not be contrary to the public interest to grant our client an absolute discharge.