Mischief charges at sporting events and concerts

The crime of mischief is loosely defined as “interference with property” which has allowed the Police to criminally charge people for behaviour in public that they believe to be inappropriate even if the specific act is not described in the Criminal Code. For example, there is no specific criminal statute outlawing running onto or throwing a beer on the field at a Blue Jays game, but the person will always be charged with mischief despite this lack of specific legislation.

The Police take these charges extremely seriously and put a lot of pressure on the Crown Attorney’s offices to prosecute these cases heavily.

It is no joke to throw something on the field at a game, run onto the stage at concert or damage a venue to any degree, particularly in the city of Toronto. The Toronto Police Service see these types of incidents as an extreme threat to public safety. While the perpetrator, often drunk, may see this as a joke or showing off, they are making a mistake that may ruin their employability and other freedoms in the future.

In addition to the penalties imposed by the criminal justice system (criminal record, jail, etc.) the person may also be publicly shamed in the media and find their name permanently attached to the behaviour via a Google search for the rest of their lives. It may only take a few seconds to toss a can of beer onto the field at a baseball game but the person may have to live with being labelled as a troublemaker as a result of that decision for the rest of their lives. While an extremely small segment of the population may want this attention, the vast majority of people will regret their (usually alcohol influenced) actions for the rest of their lives.

Why are these sort of actions viewed as such a big deal?

Given the large number of attendees at popular sporting events and concerts, those who disrupt them risk inspiring other disorderly or even mob type behaviour. This can endanger the safety of other patrons. In the worst case scenario it could spark a riot. A large number of people in a confined space is always considered a heightened level of risk. Depending on the circumstances, the mischief charge may also be in addition to other criminal charges of assault, assault peace officer (resist arrest), uttering threats, or even mischief endangering life which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Punishments and Consequences: I have been given a court date (Form 9, 10 or 11.1) and fingerprint date, what is going to happen next?

All cases involving major (usually downtown) events are taken seriously by the Crown Attorney’s office (under pressure from the Toronto Police Service to do so). Whether the Crown will look to give you a criminal record or have you jailed will still depend on what exactly happened and what your criminal history is. Certainly even a first time a offender can face tremendous consequences including jail for these types of incidents.

As mentioned above, the accused may have their name be publicly outed and shamed via news outlets and social media prior to even their first court appearance which itself is extremely detrimental to their future.

The accused’s lawyer must work to try to avoid the case becoming a public spectacle in cases where the accused has not yet been publicly outed (in addition to obtaining a lenient outcome for the case itself).

Call us today
You don't have to jeopardize your future or waste thousands of dollars on excessive legal fees. We provide effective and affordable lawyer representation for those charged with mischief in the Toronto area.

Have a skilled criminal lawyer who focuses on mischief charges protect you and your future from the stigma and consequences of a criminal record and conviction.





Are you a lawyer? If you are defending a mischief under and over $5000 related case and are looking for expert advice regarding possible defences, case strategies, and information release management call us at: 647-228-5969.

Please note: We do not accept legal aid certificate cases. All clients are handled on a private retainer only.

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