What happens if I am convicted of criminal harassment?

If you have been charged or are being investigated, hiring a Calgary harassment lawyer is important. I can explain the strategy for fighting these charges, the repercussions of a guilty plea, the nature of a peace bond if applicable, and other related aspects of your charges. Contact us now at 587-888-7149 for a free consultation.

What happens if I am convicted of criminal harassment?

If you are convicted of criminal harassment, then you will have a criminal record, and your
sentence can range from a conditional discharge and probation to a 10-year prison sentence,
depending on your situation and how serious the offence was. Criminal harassment prison
sentences are usually much shorter than 10 years.

If you breached a peace bond or release condition when committing criminal harassment, then
you will probably get a harsher sentence. The judge must consider the breach when sentencing
you, and if the judge does not give you a harsher sentence because of the breach, then they must
give reasons for not giving you a harsher sentence. This often comes up when someone has a no
contact condition against their ex partner and breaches it by repeatedly communicating with or
following them. I have separate FAQs about no contact conditions and what happens if you
breach them.

Regardless of the sentence you receive, having a criminal record for criminal harassment can
impact your future employment and travel opportunities, and other areas of your life.
I have succeeded in avoiding a criminal record entirely for many of my clients charged with
criminal harassment. This can be achieved by persuading a crown prosecutor that the charge
should be diverted to mental health diversion or the alternative measures program, or dropped
outright. I have a separate FAQ on how to get criminal charges dropped.