Liar Avoids Jail for Sending Police on a Wild Goose Chase

Charge(s):

CC: 140(1)(c) – Public Mischief

Allegations:

My client called the police and told them that he had been hijacked by a native man, who forced him to drive him around, beat him and robbed him at gun point of his wallet, cell phone, shoes, jacket and wedding ring. The entire Airdrie police force spent the rest of the night scouring the city, searching for this person, to no avail. A composite sketch artist was brought in and a detailed drawing of the suspect was disseminated to the media and to the surrounding law enforcement agencies. The Forensic Identification Unit also got involved. My client provided a detailed account of the incident during a lengthy video-recorded interview with the police. The police expended a great deal of resources to solve this alleged crime. Ultimately, numerous inconsistencies led the police to suspect the veracity of his story and to reinterview him. My client confessed to having made up the entire story, in order to avoid upsetting his wife and employer. As it turns out, he picked up a female hitchhiker on his way back from work, using his company vehicle, and spent the entire evening partying in a hotel room with her, smoking crack cocaine.

Result:

The Crown was outraged and insisted on a jail sentence. He ended up receiving a Conditional Sentence Order and some community service hours. No jail.