East Coast Environmental Law

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R v. Bolt, 2011 NLTD 20 (CanLII)

This case was heard in the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Trial Division).

Mr. Bolt was refuelling a fishing boat when he noticed that the fuel tank, which was sitting in the back of his truck, was leaking. Mr. Bolt continued the refuelling operation, and, as a result of the leak, an unknown quantity of fuel spilled into the harbour where he was working. Mr. Bolt was charged under the federal Fisheries Act with depositing a deleterious substance into waters frequented by fish, failing to report a spill, and failing to take remedial action. He pled guilty to the first two charges, and the Crown withdrew the third charge. After the trial judge fined Mr. Bolt $10,000 for the first offence and $5,000 for the second, Mr. Bolt appealed the sentences. The Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court dismissed his appeal after finding that the sentences were fair under the circumstances.

View the Decision on CanLII: https://www.canlii.org/en/nl/nlsctd/doc/2011/2011nltd20/2011nltd20.html

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