Uttering Threats may be prosecuted in one of two ways: by summary conviction or by indictment. Typically, Uttering Threats will be prosecuted by summary conviction. If convicted following a trial by summary conviction, you are liable to up to 2 years imprisonment. Our office can help you understand the specifics of your case and the potential penalties you may be facing. Contact our office to schedule an appointment.

Threats may be threats of death; threats to property; threats of bodily harm; threats to animals; or, threats to damage property. Threats can be spoken; written (often threats are made in emails); made in person or through another party. The degree of alarm felt by the person threatened is irrelevant to a finding of guilt as is your intent to carry out the threat. The threat must be something more than trivial. Whether particular words constitute a threat depends on the words used and the context in which they were communicated. The Crown must prove that the accused intended the words to be taken seriously as a threat; it is not necessary to prove that the recipient was actually frightened or believed the threat would be carried out. Where the words spoken were not taken seriously by the complainant, or where it can be established that the words were not intended as a threat, the charge can be successfully defended.

Our office is based in London, Ontario, but we frequently take on cases all over Ontario. Ellis Criminal Law has assisted clients from coast to coast - travelling to British Columbia, Halifax and the far north to defend clients. We have also assisted clients in the United States and Europe. We are willing to travel to assist you. If you're interested in obtaining legal counsel from Ellis Criminal Law please call our office and set up an appointment so we can review the specifics of your case.