Criminal harassment charges can often become inherently fraught with grey areas, questions of intent, misunderstanding and pitting an alleged victim’s interpretation of words and actions against a defendant’s claimed intent.
In some instances, acts are committed with the express, admitted intent to intimidate another individual. In other instances, words and deeds are misinterpreted as having an intent to threaten or menace another person.
In either instance, there’s a weighty burden that the Crown must meet in order to attain a criminal harassment conviction:
That the accused was indeed involved with the alleged activity
That the accused either knew how conduct would be perceived and proceeded based on that assumption, or recklessly proceeded with the alleged conduct without regard for the alleged victim’s perception
That the accused’s conduct made the complainant fear for his/her safety and the safety of those connected with him/her
That the circumstances made that fear reasonable
If you have been charged with a crime as a result of a misunderstanding, it is not just that you should have to be punished for that action. Don’t let misunderstanding damn the public perception of your reputation. If the Crown can’t prove all of the above beyond a reasonable doubt, then the court has no choice but to acquit.
If you’ve been charged, make no statement until you’ve contacted Saggi Law Firm. Mandeep Saggi can foresee how your words and actions could be used against you in a court of law. Mandeep Saggi trial lawyer will hear out your circumstances and build a defence that sets the public record straight and protects its depiction of your reputation, often doing so without requiring your appearance in court.