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Table of Contents
BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................ 1
Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1
Twitter............................................................................................................................ 2
FRAMEWORK .................................................................................................................. 6
The charges .................................................................................................................. 6
The Crime of Criminal Harassment .............................................................................. 6
Actus Reus
–
the culpable behaviour and consequences ........................................... 8
Mens Rea
–
the mental element................................................................................... 8
Knowledge ............................................................................................................... 10
Recklessness ........................................................................................................... 11
Fear for Safety ............................................................................................................ 11
The Proof of the Tweets ............................................................................................. 12
The Proof that Mr. Elliott Sent the Tweets Attributed to Him ......................................... 14
The Omission of Recklessness from the Charges ..................................................... 20
FACTUAL BACKGROUND........................................................................................... 28
@amirightfolks
–
Stephanie Guthrie........................................................................... 28
Mr. Elliott’s interactions with Ms. Guthrie
.................................................................... 28
From May 3 to July 6 ................................................................................................ 32
The Bendilin Spurr Affair ........................................................................................... 33
From the blocking to the start of the period the information covers
–
July 7 to 31 .......... 34
August 1 to September 12 ......................................................................................... 38
The Six November Tweets ........................................................................................ 44
Tweets With the Hashtags Ms. Guthrie Uses .............................................................. 45
@LadySnarksAlot
–
Heather Reilly ............................................................................ 47
November 2012, just before the charge ...................................................................... 54
ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................................... 55
Has the Crown Proven Every Element of the Offence?............................................. 55
Communication on Twitter ......................................................................................... 56
2 0 1 6 O N C J 3 5 ( C a n L I I )
