Recent decisions for Court of Criminal Appeal

Catchwords:

CRIME – Bail – Appeal bail – Whether court had jurisdiction to hear and determine bail application – Where proceedings not “pending in the court” within the meaning of Bail Act 2013 (NSW), s 61 because notices of appeal not “duly given” for the purposes of Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 10(2) CRIME – Bail – Appeal bail – Whether applicants established “special or exceptional circumstances” to justify decision to grant bail

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — Stay of proceedings — Permanent — where permanent stay of criminal proceedings sought as a result of coaching of complainant in charge certification conference by solicitor advocate — where notes of conference later disclosed to applicants’ legal representatives — where application for permanent stay declined at first instance — consideration of statutory obligations on prosecutors — whether applicants could have a fair trial — whether allowing the trial to continue would bring the administration of justice into disrepute —whether undertakings by Crown would mitigate any unfairness — factors relevant to grant of a permanent stay of proceedings CRIME — Appeals — Interlocutory appeal — against decision to refuse a permanent stay — where error shown — whether Court should re-exercise discretion to grant stay

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – by Crown against inadequacy – where the respondent pleaded guilty to an offence of dangerous driving occasioning death – where the bus driven by the respondent collided with a kerb and continued forward in an area with school children – where the bus collided with a tree and struck a student before coming to a standstill – whether the sentencing judge erred in his assessment of objective seriousness – where there was no misapplication of principle – where a custodial sentence was appropriate – where the sentence imposed bears out the finding of objective seriousness CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – by Crown against inadequacy – whether the sentencing judge erred in finding that the respondent “mistakenly put her foot on the accelerator instead of the brake and grappled to no avail with the handbrake” – where CCTV footage and the respondent’s evidence meant the finding was open to the sentencing judge CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – by Crown against inadequacy – whether the sentence pronounced is manifestly inadequate – where the sentence fell within the range of sentences contemplated in the guideline judgment – where nothing suggested a sentence within the guideline judgment was not appropriate – where the offender did not have a high level of moral culpability – where the respondent’s subjective case was strong – where there was a finding of special circumstances – where it cannot be said that the sentence lies so far outside the range of appropriate sentences that there must have been an error – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – suppression and non-publication orders – where the Court published reasons in September 2023 dismissing an appeal from an interlocutory judgment in the District Court – where the Court declined to grant a permanent stay of criminal proceedings – where publication of the Court’s reasons was restricted until completion of the District Court trial – where the District Court trial was completed – where suppression orders were made by the District Court in respect of the identities of a solicitor and solicitor advocate in related proceedings – where the respondent sought amendments to the Court’s reasons in order to redact the initials of the instructing solicitor and solicitor advocate prior to publication – whether suppression orders should be made according to s 8 of the Court Suppression and Non-Publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW)

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – Application for leave to appeal – The relationship between the guideline judgment of R v Ponfield and s 21A of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act – An offender’s prior criminal history and being subject to conditional liberty at the time of offending not to be taken into account in assessing the objective seriousness of the offence for sentence

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – appeals – appeal against sentence – whether error in not applying statutory numerical discount for guilty plea entered after trial commenced – error conceded – question of whether any lesser sentence warranted in law– question of whether applicant’s moral culpability should be reduced – approach to Bugmy considerations – approach on resentence – serious offending over many years – multiple child victims – leave granted – appeal against sentence dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – child sexual offences – tendency evidence – whether trial judge erred in admitting tendency evidence – whether miscarriage of justice EVIDENCE – tendency evidence – complainant 13 years old – no dispute that sexual intercourse took place – where applicant’s case was of an honest and reasonable belief that the complainant was 16 years or older – where applicant’s previous relationship with a female child aged between 9 and 10 and 13 and 14 admitted by the trial judge as tendency evidence to rebut the applicant’s case of an honest and reasonable mistake EVIDENCE – tendency evidence – where tendency evidence presented to the jury by way of agreed facts under s 191 of the Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) – where material difference between the evidence placed before the trial judge and the agreed facts – consideration of the relevant evidence for determination of the grounds of appeal EVIDENCE – whether s 97A of the Evidence Act applied – where applicant had made clear that sexual intercourse was not in issue – whether sexual intercourse remained a “fact in issue” – whether “fact in issue” includes all the elements of the offence EVIDENCE – whether error in admitting tendency evidence – adjectives “intimate” and “consensual” – whether error by trial judge in concluding that sexual relationship with other female child was of long-standing commencing when that child was aged between 9 to 10 years – whether description of previous relationship as “intimate” and “consensual” and “it is known” in agreed facts gave rise to a real risk that evidence would be used in an unfair way EVIDENCE – tendency directions to jury – whether direction required that relationship with the female child was not sexual before she turned 13 years old – whether the probative value outweighed the danger of unfair prejudice CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – where no objection made to tendency direction at trial – whether application of r 4.15 of the Supreme Court (Criminal Appeal) Rules 2021 (NSW) CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – where miscarriage of justice – whether proviso applicable

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – manifest excess – supply of firearms and prohibited weapons – possession and unlawful use of firearms – supply of illegal drugs – breaking and entering –totality and notional accumulation – where 50% discount was significantly eroded at the stage of aggregation – excessive accumulation – manifest excess established – applicant re-sentenced

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL APPEALS – sentence appeal – miscarriage of justice – asserted conflict of interest in counsel acting at first instance – no evidence to establish conflict – no rule that the same advocate cannot appear for two offenders in sentencing proceedings – fact that a different submission conjured by appellate counsel “could” have been made establishes little or nothing – invariably the case – no waiver of privilege – reliance on record of court below – no evidence tendered on appeal – no merit in ground – no evidence of practical injustice – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – appeals – appeal against sentence – whether sentencing judge erred in his finding of no reduction to moral culpability on the basis of neurocognitive disorder – whether sentencing judge erred in his findings regarding general deterrence – De La Rosa principles

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – Application for leave to appeal – Offences of sexual intercourse with children outside Australia and possessing child abuse material – Whether the sentencing process miscarried – Whether the sentencing judge erred in her consideration of the age of the victims – Whether the sentencing judge mistook the statutory age limit of an offence provision – Whether the sentencing judge erred in incorrectly stating an offence provision – No point of principle

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — s 5F Criminal Appeal Act 1912 — temporary stay of proceedings granted to enable applicant to seek leave to appeal against a decision of the District Court refusing a permanent stay application — reluctance of appellate courts to fragment criminal proceedings at first instance — prospects of appeal succeeding and balance of convenience considered CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — whether plea bargains are a form of contractual undertaking — whether arguable that an abuse of process on the part of the Crown to reinstate charges that it agreed not to prosecute pursuant to a plea bargain with the applicant

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against sentence — By Crown against inadequacy — issue of totality and accumulation of the overall non-parole period — where respondent was serving three pre-existing sentences — whether undue weight placed on the non-parole period ratio and insufficient weight on other relevant sentencing factors including deterrence and denunciation — need to maintain public confidence in the administration of justice — whether Court should exercise residual discretion and re-sentence the respondent

Catchwords:

CRIME - appeals - appeal against conviction – application of proviso - joint criminal enterprise – directions to jury as to elements of offence – Crown conceded that trial judge misdirected the jury – miscarriage of justice established – whether no substantial miscarriage of justice actually occurred – where there was no substantial miscarriage of justice and the proviso should be applied CRIME - appeals - appeal against conviction - unreasonable verdict – if manslaughter was excluded as having been the appropriate verdict – where evidence before the jury amply supported a verdict of murder

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — miscarriage of justice — tendency evidence — where applicant convicted of seven counts of sexual offending against his daughter — where applicant convicted of two counts of possession of child abuse material — whether failure to give anti-tendency direction occasioned miscarriage of justice — whether objectively reasonable for defence counsel at trial not to seek anti-tendency direction — whether alleged errors in tendency direction occasioned miscarriage of justice CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — miscarriage of justice — tendency evidence — whether alleged irregularities in treatment of tendencies and supporting evidence at trial occasioned miscarriage of justice CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — miscarriage of justice — whether proviso under s 6(1) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) applies CRIME — duties of prosecutor — tendency evidence

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – cultivation of prohibited plants by enhanced indoor means – pervert the course of justice – whether denial of procedural fairness – where sentencing judge rejected evidence in psychologist’s report – where no indication issue taken – psychologist’s conclusion a matter of speculation – inherently implausible – no practical injustice – leave to appeal granted – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – statutory aggravating factors – where the sentencing judge found that the offence was aggravated by reason of being committed “without regard for public safety” – where such a finding was not pursued by the Crown, conceded by the defence or foreshadowed by the sentencing judge – procedural fairness – threshold of materiality – where finding inevitable – no practical injustice – appeal dismissed CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – manifest excess – whether sufficient weight given to subjective case – where sentence “stern” but not unreasonable nor unjust – sentence within range of available sentences – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – appeal against conviction – lengthy delay in instituting appeal – where applicant accused of complicity with father in murder of wife’s lover – “honour killing” – whether conduct of Prosecutor led to a “miscarriage of justice” – religious and cultural stereotypes – cross-examination as to applicant’s religious beliefs – conduct not necessary but not improper – issue raised squarely at the commencement of prosecution opening statement – no objection taken – different approaches to “miscarriage” – where High Court reserved on issue – presumptuous and barren exercise to predict outcome – befuddling – alternative approaches considered – strength of prosecution case – application of proviso – whether no substantial miscarriage actually occurred CRIMINAL LAW – “Shepherd” direction – whether motive or “honour killing” theory required proof beyond reasonable doubt – directions on circumstantial evidence orthodox and correct – specific direction not sought at trial – no merit in ground – leave to appeal on specific ground refused CRIMINAL LAW – conditions of incarceration – ground asserting transport and conditions establishing a miscarriage – where trial Judge sympathetic and granted adjournments when requested – serious issue raised but no miscarriage established

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence –appeal out of time – extension granted – significant volume of child abuse material – bestiality material – prohibited firearms – prohibited weapons – State and federal offences – whether error in accumulation of State aggregate sentence on federal aggregate sentence – whether State aggregate sentence manifestly excessive – special circumstances – recognizance release order SENTENCING – aggregate sentences – State and federal offences – cumulation – complexity – frustration and unnecessary public cost – punishment exacted should reflect what an offender has done – effect of other offences on appropriate penalty

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – where the applicant pleaded guilty to one count of intentionally causing grievous bodily harm at a super call-over – where the applicant struck the victim in the eye causing permanent damage – where the sentencing judge combined discounts under ss 22A and 25D of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 – whether the sentencing judge erred in rounding down the discount to even months – where the rounding down of the discount reduced the discount – where the sentencing judge was obliged to provide the stipulated discount in s 25D – ground of appeal upheld – where it was still necessary to resentence the applicant – error not an arithmetical or date error CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – objective seriousness – whether the sentencing judge erred in assessing objective seriousness – where the onus was on the applicant to show that a lack of planning should be a mitigating factor – where the offence was typified by jealousy – where there was a history of domestic violence – where the lack of planning was insignificant – ground rejected CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – where the applicant was diagnosed with PTSD and alcohol/substance abuse disorder – where submission made that applicant was not a suitable vehicle for general deterrence - where the sentencing judge did not engage with the effect of the mental health issues on deterrence – where the sentencing judge erred by not referencing general deterrence – ground upheld

Catchwords:

Crime – Appeals – Appeal against sentence of 48 years’ imprisonment – Application for leave to appeal – multiple child sexual offences – sexual offending against biological daughters – offending that is “heinous, depraved and appalling” – asserted failure of sentencing judge to take into account the applicant’s own history of child sexual abuse –asserted error in finding the applicant’s mental health issues increase the need for specific deterrence and protection of the community – manifest excess – appeal allowed – applicant resentenced

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against sentence – child sexual assaults – whether additional evidence of sexual assaults against the applicant should be admitted – characterisation of the additional evidence as “fresh” or “new” evidence – evidence admitted – appeal allowed – applicant resentenced

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – alleged error in finding transgender applicant did not have difficult and dysfunctional early life and difficulties which wreaked havoc on her life – sentencing judge did not set criteria to be established prior to considering applicant’s transgender status – no miscarriage of justice or unfairness established by not finding facts which findings had not been sought

Catchwords:

CRIME – Bail – show cause test – conspiracy to import a border controlled drug – aid and abet the attempted importation of a border controlled drug – AN0M devices – strength of prosecution case – longer delay – cause shown – unacceptable risk test – stringent conditions – bail granted

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction – Unreasonable verdict – Offence of aggravated indecent assault – Where complainant accepted difficulties in memory and recall of events – Whether internal discrepancies and inconsistencies present in complainant’s evidence – Whether complainant’s memories of sexual intercourse and lack of consent reliable – Whether complainant credible – Strong corroboration of complainant’s evidence – Inconsistencies immaterial to credibility and reliability – Jury’s verdict reasonable – Leave to appeal granted – Appeal dismissed CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction – Miscarriage of justice – Where complaint witness not called by Crown – Where trial judge did not give direction after brief enquiry from counsel – Where Crown opening indicated that witness would not be called – Whether Mahmood direction required – No expectation for Crown to call complaint witness – Complaint witness not essential or material – Absence of Mahmood direction to the benefit of the applicant’s submission to the jury – No requirement for Mahmood direction – No miscarriage of justice – Leave to appeal granted – Appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against convictions – sexual offences – distinction between second and third limbs of s 6(1) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) – wrong decision on any question of law – miscarriage of justice – leave to appeal granted – appeal allowed in part – convictions quashed – whether Court should enter verdicts of acquittal or order new trial – verdicts of acquittal entered – resentenced for pervert the course of justice offence CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – successful conviction appeal – aggregate sentence quashed – not necessary to determine sentence appeal EVIDENCE – admissibility – tendency – whether trial judge erred by admitting tendency evidence – whether miscarriage of justice occasioned – tendency to intentionally touch body of unconscious female – where tendency suffered from degree of generality – where Crown relied on significantly less serious conduct alleged by tendency witness to prove offence – where evidence did not directly support tendency – weighing of probative value against prejudicial effect EVIDENCE – tendency directions to jury – whether omission to direct jury occasioned miscarriage of justice – whether direction involved error – where jury directed to make anterior findings as to charged and uncharged conduct – standard of proof undermined – real risk jury deflected from fundamental task

Catchwords:

SENTENCING — appeal against sentence — general principles — instinctive synthesis — where sentencing judge failed to adopt the ‘instinctive synthesis’ approach to sentencing SENTENCING — appeal against sentence — where applicant sentenced in 2015 — extension of time to appeal — not opposed SENTENCING — relevant factors on sentence — objective seriousness — parity — hardship to applicant’s family SENTENCING — relevant factors on sentence — discount on sentence — plea of guilty — cooperation with law enforcement agencies in the investigation of the offence

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against sentence – child sex offences – finding of special circumstances – grounds were age of offender, first period of imprisonment, mental condition and rehabilitation – adjustment to non-parole period from the statutory ratio refused because no need for extended period of rehabilitation – other grounds remained – error in not adjusting non-parole period – offender resentenced

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – where the applicant and co-accused were charged with murder – where the Crown case was that the deceased died because one or other or both of the applicant and co-accused injected the deceased with drugs – where jury initially directed that if deceased self-injected the applicant was not liable – where trial judge permitted Crown to broaden its case after jury sent out to deliberate – whether trial judge erred by permitting the jury to find the applicant guilty of manslaughter in circumstances of a self-killing – where jury redirected inconsistently with IL v The Queen - where there can be no liability for the applicant for manslaughter in accordance with IL – conviction and sentence quashed – new trial ordered

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – appeal against sentence – sentencing for state and federal offences – whether the total effective sentence is manifestly excessive – consideration of manifest excess in the absence of comparative cases – totality – leave to appeal granted – appeal upheld – resentenced

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — unreasonable verdict — whether each or either verdict of guilty in relation to two counts of sexual intercourse without consent cannot be supported having regard to evidence CRIME — appeals — appeal against sentence — application for leave to appeal out of time — application not opposed CRIME — appeals — appeal against sentence —miscarriage of justice — whether discrepancies between the sentencing judge’s findings and evidence — where no objection taken at trial — whether errors of fact capable of influencing sentencing discretion — whether lesser sentence warranted in law

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Crown appeal – offences of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and failing to stop and assist after vehicle impact occasioning grievous bodily harm – whether the sentencing judge took into account self-induced intoxication as a mitigating factor – whether the sentencing judge erred in his approach to imposing an ICO – manifest inadequacy – exercise of the residual discretion

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeal against sentence — whether error in applying discount for guilty pleas — whether error in failing to have regard to offender’s mental illness — whether additional evidence of historical sexual abuse should be admitted on appeal — no challenge to such evidence and its effect on offender’s later life — evidence admitted appeal allowed and offender resentenced

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against sentence – conviction for being accessory after the fact to murder – offender said to have acted out of “misguided sense of loyalty” to brother – lengthy criminal history – risk of institutionalisation – low objective gravity – manifest excess EVIDENCE – sentencing on basis of agreed facts – agreed facts in relation to sentencing of co-offender tendered on issue of parity – agreement in that case that brother shot victim not accepted as a fact – rules of evidence not applicable – no error in refusing to rely on facts agreed in other case except on parity

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction –miscarriage of justice – jury directions – tendency directions – content of tendency directions and standard of proof – potential for impermissible circular reasoning by jury – on summing up viewed as a whole jury not deflected from proper task – no miscarriage of justice CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence– aggregate sentence – obligation to indicate sentences that would have been imposed if aggregate sentence not imposed – indicative sentences where s 5 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act threshold may not be crossed for offences in isolation – no error in indicating sentences of imprisonment for those offences in the circumstances CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence– sentencing considerations – interaction of non-parole period and life expectancy of offender – where trial judge considered life expectancy in determining non-parole period but did not apply a mechanical formula – no error

Catchwords:

CRIME– appeals – appeal against conviction – directions to jury – tendency evidence – allegation that accused had sexual interest in complainant and tendency to act on it – whether directions were adequate – whether directions must have incorporated warning as to reliability of evidence sought to establish relevant tendency CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – directions to jury – tendency evidence – where tendency notice is expressed in the precise terms as the offending behaviour alleged by Crown – where jury directed to make findings in respect of charged conduct – whether jury were directed to consider the conduct ‘collectively to decide what conduct occurred’ to establish tendency – whether trial judge’s directions invited impermissible mode of reasoning – application of s 161A(3) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 – whether miscarriage of justice

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against a special verdict of act proven but not criminally responsible – where trial judge considered accused presented unusually on complainant’s account of acts charged, on body worn police camera and in court – where accused expressly and repeatedly disavowed potential mental health defence – where both accused and Crown opposed to special verdict at trial – where accused gave evidence of historical brain injury – where no expert evidence about effect of any potential impairment on accused’s brain and cognitive functioning – where special verdict entered

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – armed robbery – where co-offender’s sentence successfully appealed – parity – where disparity between applicant and co-offender – whether justifiable sense of grievance – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

SENTENCING – Appeal against sentence – Severity – Sentence manifestly excessive – Relevant factors on sentence – Objective seriousness – Sentencing statistics – Aggravating factors – Where actual bodily harm is inflicted – Where the aggregate sentence falls within the discretionary range allowed to a sentencing Judge CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – Sentencing proceedings – Whether comparable cases are relevant in determining duration of imprisonment and non-parole period – Whether comparable sentences fix an outer limit for the imposition of rational sentences

Catchwords:

CRIME – meaning of the phrase “mental illness within the civil law of the State or Territory” in s 20BQ of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) – whether this is to be determined with reference only to the definition of "mental illness" in s 4 of the Mental Health Act 2007 (NSW)

Catchwords:

CRIME — fraud — dishonestly cause financial disadvantage by deception — directions as to elements of offence — whether a further mental element applies to financial disadvantage outcome element — where point not raised below CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — trial — judge alone — character evidence — whether sufficient consideration given to own directions about character evidence — impact of prior good character on likelihood of offending CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — trial — judge alone — witness evidence — warnings — unreliable evidence — whether trial judge had proper regard to own directions as to reliability of witnesses — where witnesses may have been involved or culpable in offending conduct CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — unreasonable verdict — whether crown proved elements of offence beyond reasonable doubt CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — miscarriage of justice — whether charged conduct described differently in indictment, crown case, and trial judge’s directions — whether applicant “submitted” falsified documents to bank — whether sufficient that applicant caused falsified documents to be submitted to bank CRIME — appeals — appeal against sentence — taking into account an irrelevant consideration — misapplication of principle — fraud — whether corollary deception and breach of trust relevant CRIME — appeals — appeal against sentence — misapplication of principle — specific deterrence — whether error in conclusion that specific deterrence not mitigated by prior good character and lack of subsequent offending

Catchwords:

CRIME – APPEALS – Crown appeal against sentence – persistent sexual abuse of a child – s 66EA of the Crimes Act – particularisation of individual incidents during the course of a sexually abusive “relationship” – where sentencing judge misapprehended that he had to be satisfied of each incident beyond reasonable doubt – resentencing where sentencing judge did not make an express finding as to reliability of a witness – remittal to sentencing judge

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – error by primary judge when backdating the commencement date of the sentence to the expiration of a non-parole period imposed for a separate sentence – whether error could be remedied by simple adjustment or whether the error required the court to re-exercise the sentencing discretion – whether error constituted a Kentwell error – principle of totality – re-sentencing required – Court not satisfied a lesser sentence warranted at law – sentence backdated to correct date of expiration of the non-parole period of the separate sentence

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – appeal against sentence – plea of guilty – willingness to facilitate the course of justice – failure to address submission – expert evidence re relevance of ADHD not challenged – denial of procedural fairness in rejecting expert evidence – challenge to finding of role in hierarchy – error established – applicant re-sentenced

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against convictions – judge only trial – dishonestly destroy property by fire – dishonestly obtaining financial advantage – dealing with proceeds of crime – applicant was convicted of destroying his own house by fire – applicant’s expert evidence not accepted – adverse credibility findings against applicant CRIME – appeal against convictions – incompetence of counsel – whether counsel unprepared and failed to obtain critical evidence – refusal to waive privilege CRIME – appeal against convictions – further expert evidence – motion to tender new evidence – whether applicant’s new evidence available at time of trial – application refused

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – whether there was a failure to consider hardship of incarceration – whether sentence manifestly excessive

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – whether miscarriage of justice occasioned as applicant could not in law have been convicted of the common law offence of escaping from lawful custody – whether common law offence of escaping is a continuing offence – where applicant was in the process of escaping from police – whether there is a temporal limitation to the offence – whether R v Tommy Ryan should no longer be followed CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – whether error in commencement date of aggregate sentence CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – whether incorrect maximum penalty applied for driving whilst disqualified offences – where maximum penalty of the offences was reduced following amendments made to the Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW) in 2017 – where error conceded CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – whether leave should be granted to advance further ground of appeal – whether error in the judge finding that applicant was not sexually abused in juvenile detention – where fresh and new evidence on appeal of applicant’s sexual abuse – where absence of that material during sentencing proceedings deprived the judge of fully appreciating and considering applicant’s sexual abuse – whether miscarriage of justice

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – where the applicant pleaded guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent – where the offence was aggravated by its occurrence in the victim’s home – where the sentencing judge incorrectly concluded that the applicant was on bail for other offences – re-sentence – whether a lesser sentence is warranted – where applicant comes from a deprived background – where applicant has low level cognitive intellectual capacity – where the applicant failed to express remorse – where prospects of rehabilitation are guarded – where there was a finding of special circumstances – where the original sentence was lenient – no lesser sentence imposed – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – appeal against sentence – multiple prohibited drugs and firearms offences – aggregate sentence – manifest excess – totality

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – manifest excess – where the applicant was sentenced for 2 counts of supplying not less than a large commercial quantity of lysergide (LSD) – whether sentence was unreasonable or plainly unjust

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — application for leave to appeal — where applicant convicted of 3 sexual offences under authority — where application for complainant to give further evidence by way of cross-examination pursuant to s 306J of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) refused by trial judge — where further evidence only relevant to credibility of complainant — whether further cross-examination of complainant “could substantially affect the assessment of the witness” (s 103(1) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW)) CRIME — meaning of “good character” — positive (good works) and negative aspects (absence of prior convictions or lack of history of criminal or blameworthy conduct) — depends on context SENTENCING — appeals — appeal against sentence — application for leave to appeal — mitigating factors — good character — where applicant had prior criminal history but no convictions — where trial judge ruled applicant not entitled to leniency on sentence otherwise available to person of good character because of criminal history

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against sentence — Manifest excess — whether failure to apply correct principle with respect to the quantification of a discount for the applicant’s pleas of guilty — s 16A(2)(f) of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) — contrition involving facilitation of the course of justice — no lesser sentence warranted

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeal – appeal against sentence – error in having regard to Form 1 in assessment of objective seriousness for principal offences – where error conceded - resentence

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – assistance to authorities – discount under s 23 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) – where the sentencing judge failed to consider the applicant’s assistance to authorities while on remand – negligible connection between the applicant’s offences and the offending in respect of which the applicant is said to have provided assistance – exercise of discretion to decline to provide a discount on re-sentence

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – judge alone trial - where the applicant was convicted of 11 counts of sexual intercourse with a child and 1 one count of indecent assault – whether the applicant did not have a trial according to law due to the trial judge reversing the evidentiary and persuasive burdens of proof – where the judgment was effectively an ex tempore judgment – where the posing of rhetorical questions did not insinuate that there was an onus on the applicant – where the trial judge clearly stated the correct principles regarding onus and burden of proof – ground of appeal rejected CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – whether the trial judge erred by failing to expose his reasoning linking the relevant legal principles to the findings – where applicant highlighted four areas where directions were not given or were said to be inadequate – where the trial judge’s reasons made clear that reliance on an alibi does not shift the burden of proof – where the trial judge was not obliged to direct himself how character evidence was to be used – where a Liberato direction was not required – where no occasion arose to apply the Markuleski direction because complainant’s evidence not found unreliable on any count – ground of appeal rejected – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeals against sentence – one count of dishonestly obtain by deception a financial advantage – where applicant is self-represented – where applicant has raised eight grounds of appeal – alleged error in the backdating of sentence to account for pre-sentence custody – alleged errors in weight afforded to various factual matters – no error by sentencing judge established – leave to appeal granted – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – whether unreasonable verdict – where the accused was found guilty of manslaughter – where the deceased was found tied up upside down partially submerged in water in a wheelie bin – where the autopsy could not determine the cause or manner of death - where the jury were told they had to exclude any independent causes of death before returning a verdict of guilty – where the tendency evidence of violence by applicant towards deceased was very strong – where admissions made to two witnesses -where the forensic evidence included the applicant’s DNA and fingerprints at the crime scene - where there was limited evidence pointing to any motive or opportunity for other suspects – where it was not a reasonable possibility that the deceased died of a drug overdose – where evidence supported the conclusion that the applicant caused the deceased’s death – where no unanimity direction was required as to which act caused death – evidence supported the jury’s verdict of guilty

Catchwords:

EVIDENCE – Hearsay – exceptions – admission – where hearsay evidence of representations by third parties in the absence of the applicant was admitted against the applicant under s 87(1)(c) of the Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) – where the applicant objected to most of this evidence being admissible against him – whether error in admitting evidence pursuant to s 87(1)(c) of the Evidence Act CRIME – Appeals – appeal against conviction – miscarriage of justice – application of proviso APPEALS – From jury verdict – misdirection or non-direction – whether the trial judge failed to direct adequately – whether the trial judge erred in his Honour’s directions as to the use which could properly be made of representations made in the absence of the applicant and admitted pursuant to s 87(1)(c) of the Evidence Act CRIME – Appeals – appeal against conviction – unreasonable verdict

Catchwords:

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW), s 25 – supply of a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug – level of knowledge required to establish charge under s 25(2) CRIMINAL LAW – appeal against conviction – where applicant convicted of supply of a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug – applicant convicted of supply of fentanyl – where applicant gave evidence of mistaken belief as to the particular prohibited drug in his possession – whether applicant had requisite mental knowledge with regard to quantity of prohibited drug CRIMINAL LAW – appeal against sentence – supply of a prohibited drug – whether sentencing judge erred in assessment of objective seriousness of offending – where sentence appeal was previously abandoned and subsequently raised without leave

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against interlocutory order – Crown appeal under s 5F Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) – offence of attempting to possess a marketable quantity of an unlawfully imported border control drug – preliminary question of jurisdiction – whether exclusion of evidence “substantially weakens” Crown case – evidence excluded by trial judge as tendency evidence – where Crown does not rely upon evidence as tendency evidence - whether evidence goes to the respondent’s state of mind – whether evidence relevant for other uses – evidence available to rebut defence case – question of unfair prejudice – capacity for directions to cure unfairness

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL APPEAL – unreasonable verdict – circumstantial case – correct approach to review on appeal – armed robbery of private poker game – Texas Hold’em – whether trial judge erred in refusing to direct acquittal – relevance of trial judge’s “inclination” expressed in argument that prosecution case not strong – joint criminal enterprise – where applicant alleged to be “inside man” – participation in card game a ruse – evidence that applicant entered the building with robber – Honda Jazz – analysis of prosecution’s case on appeal – forensic evidence and timing of events – erroneous piecemeal approach to circumstantial evidence – unwarranted criticism of concessions made by trial counsel – whether inferences consistent with non-participation excluded beyond reasonable doubt CRIMINAL LAW – “in company” – joint criminal enterprise – proper direction to jury – where no objection to directions at trial – where directions fashioned to issues litigated at trial – sole issue whether applicant joined and participated in joint criminal enterprise – where enterprise alleged was to commit armed robbery in company – no error in circumstances of the case – leave granted but ground not sustained CRIMINAL LAW – requirements of summing up – whether trial judge failed to explain elements and legal principles – whether trial judge failed to summarise cases of the parties – no complaint at trial – no substance in ground of appeal – leave to rely on ground refused

Catchwords:

Crime – appeals – appeal against sentence – manifest excess

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – appeal against conviction – sexual intercourse with a child – whether Crown case implied a lack of past sexual experience or activity of the complainant – whether exclusion of evidence relating to child’s sexual experience under s 293 of the Criminal Procedure Act resulted in a miscarriage of justice – whether failure to permanently stay the trial resulted in a miscarriage of justice – whether convictions unreasonable having regard to significant change between complainant’s allegations in JIRT interviews and pre-recorded evidence – appeal allowed – conviction on counts 1 and 4 quashed

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — inconsistent verdicts — where applicant convicted of 11 sexual offences against two children — where applicant was acquitted of one count charged — whether there was rational explanation for the acquittal — where complainant’s evidence of acquitted count was uncertain compared to her evidence of other counts CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — unreasonable verdict — where applicant convicted of 11 sexual offences against two children — whether alleged implausibility of complainants’ versions (because the conduct was so brazen) resulted in an unreasonable verdict — where offending conduct was committed in plain sight or when others were nearby — whether disparities between complainants’ versions and evidence of complaint witnesses resulted in unreasonable verdict CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — miscarriage of justice — application of proviso — where applicant convicted of sexual intercourse without consent contrary to s 61D(1) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) — where complainant was under 16 years old — where Crown was required to prove the complainant did not consent to sexual intercourse — where trial judge misdirected jury as to consent element of offence — where defence counsel agreed to direction as given — whether misdirection resulted in substantial miscarriage of justice — whether proviso ought be applied

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – sentence appeal – sexual intercourse with a child aged between 14 and 16 years – whether trial judge erred by making findings of fact concerning counts on which the jury returned not guilty verdicts – whether trial judge erred in failing to find that offender’s alcohol abuse and post traumatic stress disorder reduced moral culpability – whether aggregate sentence manifestly excessive – manifest excess established – appeal allowed – sentence reduced on re-sentence

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeals against sentence – disparity between sentences –– whether justifiable sense of grievance by reason of sentence imposed on co-offender – ground not made out

Catchwords:

CRIME – Bail – bail pending appeal – attempt to reopen the Court’s dismissal of application – no question of principle

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against sentence — Juvenile offender — Mental health — Moral culpability — General deterrence — Bugmy v The Queen — Youth — Where applicant subject to conditional liberty at time of offence — Manifest excess

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – bail – application to vary bail by deleting all bail conditions – where bail was granted in the Supreme Court and subsequently varied in the Local Court – Court had jurisdiction to hear the application where the bail decision in the Supreme Court remained operative – application determined on merits

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against aggregate sentence – steal from the person and fraud offences – sentencing judge erred in considering conditional liberty in assessment of objective seriousness – submission made on resentencing that conflicted with concession in court below – applicant held to concession – no lesser sentence warranted

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – aggravated enter dwelling with intent – steal property from dwelling house – larceny – whether there was a miscarriage of justice arising from the failure of the applicant’s legal representatives to place important evidence relevant to the applicant’s subjective case – respondent’s concession that it is open to the Court to find the ground of appeal established – the absence of the material deprived the sentencing judge of a full consideration of the applicant’s circumstances – miscarriage of justice established – ground upheld – resentence

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW — Appeals — Crown appeal against sentence — Manifest inadequacy — Aggregate sentence — Totality — Aggregate sentence not reflecting the totality of the criminality — Appeal dismissed.

Catchwords:

SENTENCING — appeal against sentence —arithmetical error by sentencing judge when calculating commencement date SENTENCING — appeal against sentence —discretion of sentencing judge to direct sentence to commence from date prior to that upon which it is imposed — whether sentencing judge erred in their exercise of this discretion — whether sentencing judge failed to take into account all of the applicant’s pre-sentence custody pursuant to s 24 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW)

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – Costs – Costs in Criminal Cases Act 1967 (NSW) – Whether it would not have been reasonable for the Crown to institute proceedings if the prosecution had been in possession of evidence of all the relevant facts.

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction – Unreasonable verdict – Child sex offences – Where offending occurred over a period of four months – Whether complainant’s lack of credibility and inconsistencies in evidence were such that jury should have had reasonable doubt as to applicant’s guilt – Appeal allowed CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction – Inconsistent verdicts – Where logical basis to find applicant not guilty on counts where date essential element – Where no logical basis to distinguish other verdicts – Appeal allowed

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeal against sentence — manifest inadequacy — where offender convicted of 12 counts of child sex offences which occurred over a period of 15 years against four child victims — where the offending involved a significant age disparity, skin-on-skin contact with the genitals, sexual intercourse, planning, use of a position of trust, persistence, and escalation in seriousness over time — where the offender’s subjective case focused on his good character, experience in custody, and mental health history — whether the indicative sentences and non-parole periods failed to reflect the objective seriousness of the offending CRIME — appeal against sentence — residual discretion — relevance of the offender’s experiences in custody — whether maintenance of public confidence in the administration of justice required re-sentencing

Catchwords:

CRIME - sentencing - aggregate sentences - parity - where sentence imposed on co-offender very lenient and (by majority) erroneously so - application of principles stated in R v Green; R v Quinn

Catchwords:

SENTENCING – objective seriousness – whether judge erred in finding that offender was a “trusted middle-man” in a hierarchy in the absence of details of the hierarchy – sentencing judge’s finding open on evidence SENTENCING – whether aggregate sentence manifestly excessive – whether indicative sentences were individually excessive leading to the aggregate sentence being manifestly excessive – indicative sentences not individually excessive – aggregate sentence reflected totality of criminality involved and was not unreasonable or plainly unjust – aggregate sentence not manifestly excessive

Catchwords:

CRIMES – appeals – appeal against conviction – trial not according to law – majority verdict – failure to examine juror under oath on the likelihood of reaching a unanimous verdict pursuant to s 55F(2)(b) Jury Act 1977 (NSW) – appeal allowed

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction – Incompetence of counsel – Where applicant charged with single count of sexual intercourse without consent – Where sole issue in trial was whether the sexual intercourse was consensual – Where applicant’s trial counsel consented to the admission of inadmissible evidence contained within the body worn videos of police and ERISP – Unfair prejudice to the applicant through admission of evidence contained in body worn video established – Slight forensic advantage to the applicant outweighed by significant forensic disadvantage – Miscarriage of justice established – Conviction and sentence quashed

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeal against sentence — by Crown against inadequacy — two unrelated sets of offences — where no patent error in sentencing remarks — indicative sentences did not reflect objective seriousness — accumulation of sentences — aggregate sentence manifestly inadequate — respondent re-sentenced

Catchwords:

CRIME – application for leave to appeal against sentence – appeal against sentence – casting upon a person an explosive substance, namely petrol, with intent to burn, maim, disfigure or disable the person – whether sentence manifestly excessive – ground not made out – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – bail – bail pending conviction appeal – unrepresented applicant – where Court heard full argument on application for leave to appeal prior to application for bail – not a course routinely taken – whether the applicant has established special or exceptional circumstances – length of sentence – prospects of success on appeal – personal circumstances – health concerns – particular concerns with respect to the applicant’s children and grandchild – personal circumstances weighed against all matters – application refused

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — miscarriage of justice — where trial judge allowed witness to refresh memory in court in the absence of jury — where witness was in custody prior to hearing and did not have opportunity to read his statement — where applicant’s counsel did not oppose this course — whether this process was so irregular that it constituted a miscarriage of justice — whether witness was pressured to give evidence in accordance with his prior statements — whether applicant was prejudiced — whether outcome of trial was capable of being affected CRIME — appeals — appeal against sentence — error in commencement date — commencement date backdated to reflect all of applicant’s time in custody

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – SENTENCE APPEAL – Commonwealth offence – mandatory requirement to take into account prospects of rehabilitation – Crown concession error established – Kentwell error – appeal allowed – resentence – mid-range objective seriousness – subjective value of guilty plea – moderate prospects of rehabilitation.

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction – Unreasonable verdict – two counts of sexual offences – where applicant found guilty on one count and acquitted on the other – whether on all of the evidence it was open to the jury to be satisfied of the applicant’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt – discrepancies and inconsistencies in complainant’s evidence – appeal allowed – conviction quashed.

Catchwords:

CRIME – Bail – bail pending appeal – where previous appeal bail applications refused by Court of Criminal Appeal – Bail Act 2013 (NSW) – ss 22 and 74 – whether change in circumstances since previous application – unrepresented applicant – strength of the proposed grounds of appeal – capacity to prepare appeal in custody – conditions in custody – whether the applicant has established special or exceptional circumstances – application dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against sentence — Where sentencing judge took into account applicant’s juvenile criminal record — Where sentencing judge erroneously took into account unproved allegations — Bugmy v The Queen

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Application for leave to appeal against convictions — Unreasonable verdict — Child sexual assault offences

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — intensive correction order for federal offender in NSW – Application of Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION — whether in considering making intensive correction order for federal offender in NSW a court is required to apply s 16A of Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) or s 66 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) SENTENCE — gravity of offending — no lesser sentence warranted

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction – Unreasonable verdict – Child sex offences – Sexual intercourse with child <10 – Procuring or grooming child for unlawful sexual activity – Where applicant was the complainant’s grandfather – Where offending occurred over a period of four years – Whether inconsistencies between complainant’s account and objective evidence were sufficient that jury should have had reasonable doubt as to applicant’s guilt

Catchwords:

CRIME — Application for leave to appeal against convictions — Unreasonable verdicts — Black direction — Markuleski direction

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – miscarriage of justice – s 165(1)(d) of the Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) – where the Applicant contended that the Crown did not exclude the reasonable possibility his brother had committed the attack on the victim – whether the evidence of the Applicant’s brother was “evidence of a kind that may be unreliable” in the sense that it was given by a witness “who might reasonably be supposed to have been criminally concerned in the events giving rise to the proceeding” CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – unreasonable verdict – whether there was a reasonable possibility that a person other than the Applicant was responsible for the attack on the victim – where the DNA of the Applicant, the victim and a third person found on nunchucks used in the attack which were located in the Applicant’s room – where the Crown case relied on a large body of circumstantial evidence CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – manifest excess – whether sentence was unreasonably or plainly unjust

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against sentence – aggregate sentence – sexual offending with minor – producing child abuse material – findings as to objective seriousness – whether sufficiently identified – whether sentence manifestly excessive

Catchwords:

BAIL – application to vary conditions of bail granted by Court of Criminal Appeal – self-represented litigant – application to dispense with bail – submissions inviting the court to review the applicant’s original conviction – court lacking in jurisdiction – applicantion to bring to an end all extant prosecutions for breaches of child protection register – court lacking such broad reaching power – application to dispense with bail rejected BAIL – where Court of Criminal Appeal granted bail on conditions – where Local Court judge added a condition later that the applicant report to police each week – condition added days after this court settled on conditions – no explanation for Local Court’s decision to impose more onerous condition – statutory requirements as to conditions – necessary and appropriate – proportionate to circumstances of offence – reporting condition deleted

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against sentence — Application for leave to appeal — Manifest excess — Whether sentence plainly unjust in all the circumstances of the case

Catchwords:

JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS – Appeal raising issue materially indistinguishable from co-accused’s earlier appeal – No compelling reason shown for departure from the earlier decision APPEALS – Procedure – Time limits – Delays not to be held against applicants in the circumstances

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – Practice and procedure – Where applicant and co-accused jointly indicted for two counts of robbery in company – Where the evidence relied upon by the Crown against each of them essentially the same but for two telephone conversations between the co-accused and a witness – Where co-accused made admissions during those conversations – Where neither the co-accused or the witness implicated the applicant in the offending or made any reference to him – Where the applicant’s application for a separate trial was refused by the trial judge – Whether trial judge erred in the exercise of his discretion in refusing the application for a separate trial – No specific prejudice to the applicant by virtue of the admission of the conversations in a joint trial – Where jury would be directed not to have regard to those conversations when considering the case against the applicant – Appeal against the decision of the trial judge dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – denial of procedural fairness – whether sentencing judge rejected applicant’s evidence of childhood abuse – whether any indication was given to applicant that issue was to be taken CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – denial of procedural fairness – where sentencing judge rejected applicant’s evidence in psychological report CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – re-sentence

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Application for leave to appeal against sentence — Assault offence in custody by young offender — Previous sentence being served — Failure to provide reasons — Totality — Manifest excess — No point of principle

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – interlocutory appeal – decision to refuse a permanent stay – whether the primary judge made interlocutory orders about the availability of defences – difference between indicative rulings and interlocutory orders – criteria for leave to appeal from interlocutory decision in criminal proceedings – whether there was an error of principle and possibility a likelihood of substantial injustice – leave to appeal refused

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeal against sentence – One count of cause grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm – Whether sentencing judge failed to give legally sufficient reasons for declining to find that the applicant’s mental health conditions contributed to the offending – Where opinion of forensic psychologist is based upon facts favourable to the applicant not found by the sentencing judge – Whether sentencing judge erred in failing to find that the applicant was provoked and/or whether she provided legally sufficient reasons – Whether sentencing judge made “material factual error” – No error by sentencing judge established – Leave to appeal granted – Appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS – Appeal raising issue materially indistinguishable from co-accused’s earlier appeal – Principles as to whether to depart from previous decision of this Court – Whether established “plainly wrong” threshold applies – Principle of equality before the law requires that differently constituted bench of the same court should follow the earlier decision unless compelling reason to depart APPEALS – Procedure – Time limits – Significant delay – Extension of time granted given reasonable explanations and merit in appeal

Catchwords:

SENTENCING — procedural fairness — where parties proceeded on basis that the applicant had made frank admissions to his own offending conduct in an ERISP — whether sentencing judge failed to provide an opportunity to the applicant to address adverse findings made about his responses in the ERISP SENTENCING — relevant factors on sentence — remorse and contrition — whether sentencing judge failed to consider the applicant’s early guilty plea and unchallenged evidence of remorse and contrition

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against sentence – aggregate sentence – whether causal link between mental condition and offending – whether sentence manifestly excessive

Catchwords:

CRIMINIAL LAW – sentence appeal – sexual assault – Crimes Act s 61I – knowledge that victim does not consent to sexual activity – recklessness – whether error by sentencing judge in finding that the recklessness was to at least a moderate degree and objective seriousness of the offence fell below the mid-range but not at the bottom of the range – whether error by sentencing judge in not finding that a non-custodial sentence was available due to the offender’s idiosyncratic circumstances

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL APPEAL – miscarriage of justice – where evidence adduced concerning an allegation of which the applicant was found not guilty in a previous trial –where prosecutor not at fault – where police officer informed in conference not to refer to allegation – incontrovertibility of acquittal – immediate application for discharge of the jury – initial responses of those in the courtroom – whether judicial directions cured prejudice – short trial – whether proviso should be applied – case of word against word involving questions of credibility

Catchwords:

CRIME – exercise of summary jurisdiction – nature of appeal – Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5AA – appeal “in the strict sense” – finding of error necessary for appellate intervention EMPLOYMENT and INDUSTRIAL LAW – scope of health and safety duty – risk assessment – adequacy of safe work procedures – adequacy of information, training and instruction – whether steps not taken were reasonably practicable – worker on livestock feed-lot – stacking of hay bales – moisture testing in vicinity of partly constructed stack – risk of injury from falling bale CRIME – penalty by way of fine – summary criminal proceedings – prosecution by agency of State – prosecutor not police officer – award of moiety of fine to prosecutor

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – appeal – sentence – aggregate sentence – principles concerning aggregate sentencing – ground concerning degree of accumulation between indicative sentences not supportable – whether error in dealing with aggravating circumstance – whether sentence manifestly excessive

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal – appeal against conviction – unreasonable verdict – single driving incident that resulted in a series of collisions that caused injury and death – driving in a manner dangerous – misconduct by driving – failure to stop and render assistance – where applicant’s vehicle did not come into contact with another vehicle – where evidence that other drivers avoided the applicant – whether the applicant was “involved in an impact occasioning death” within the meaning of s 52A(6) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – whether verdicts open on the evidence CRIME – appeal – appeal against conviction – inconsistent verdicts – acquittal on one count of misconduct by driving pursuant to s 53 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – inability to reach verdict on a separate count of misconduct by driving pursuant to s 53 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – where the facts of the misconduct charges were the same facts that led to a conviction for dangerous driving pursuant to s 52A Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – whether verdicts inconsistent

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – murder – sentencing judge found intention to kill established beyond reasonable doubt – whether sentencing judge erred – whether sentencing judge should have found intention to inflict serious bodily harm – intention to kill open on the evidence CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – Crown submission at trial that the deceased was run down unexpectedly and without warning – submission accepted by sentencing judge – sentencing judge inferred from submission that the deceased was not aware of the imminent attack – where agreed facts silent on what exactly occurred – evidence of other people present at the location of the murder – no evidence of conversation or anyone shouting a warning – evidence of the deceased not facing the vehicle at the time of collision – finding open on the evidence CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – background of disadvantage – drug use – no finding of causal connection – sentencing judge found the applicant’s account of dysfunctional upbringing unsupported or contradicted by other evidence – finding open on the evidence

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – appeal –conviction – whether miscarriage of justice occurred –trial judge directed witness to not resume giving evidence –trial judge failed to direct jury of need to be unanimous as to possession of particular quantity of drugs.

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – appeals – appeal against conviction – common law offence – wilful misconduct in public office – whether misdirection that illegitimate purpose must be driving force of impugned conduct – whether direction given by primary judge disadvantaged applicant – whether difference between purpose and motivation – whether findings of guilt in judge-alone trial unsafe – appeal against conviction dismissed CRIMINAL LAW – appeals – appeal against sentence – whether error in determining objective seriousness – whether sentence manifestly excessive – appeal against sentence dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – Sentence Appeal – sexual touching and sexual intercourse with a child – plea of guilty at District Court “super call-over” – whether the sentencing judge should have found that the applicant facilitated the administration of justice – where s 22A of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) was not raised before the sentencing judge – failure by the sentencing judge to consider the principles relevant to sentencing youth – complex interplay between youth, mental illness and cognitive impairment – error established – applicant re-sentenced

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – By Crown against inadequacy – Where respondent has pleaded guilty to 14 domestic violence offences against former de-facto partner – Where sentencing judge made guarded findings regarding the respondent’s prospects of rehabilitation – Whether sentencing judge paid sufficient regard to the sentencing principles of specific deterrence and community protection - Whether sentencing judge engaged in “double counting” in regard to the promotion of the respondent’s prospects of rehabilitation – Manifestly inadequate sentence established – Respondent resentenced

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – parity principle – whether fact that participants in the same criminal enterprise charged with significantly different offences precluded application of parity principle – despite differences in the charges and the inability of the Court to review exercise of prosecutorial discretion, parity principle applies but the effect to be given to it may vary – whether aggregate sentence gave rise to a justifiable sense of grievance – in the absence of a sufficient explanation of the application of the parity principle, there was a justifiable sense of grievance – the parity principle can require imposition of a sentence that would otherwise be less than adequate, provided that the sentence is not so low as to amount to an afront to the administration of justice.

Catchwords:

SENTENCING – appeal against sentence co-offenders – disparity between sentences – where the Applicant was a participant in a conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug – where the Applicant was the only co-conspirator to plead not guilty and was the last to be sentenced – where factual challenges made to the sentencing judge’s findings as to the Applicant being senior to another of the co-conspirators in the hierarchy of responsibility in relation to the conspiracy – whether the sentence imposed on the Applicant gave rise to a justifiable sense of grievance in light of the sentence imposed on that co-conspirator – where that co-offender’s undiscounted indicative sentence in respect of the conspiracy was half of that imposed on the Applicant

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeal against sentence — statutory mandatory minimum sentence prescribed — proper construction of s 16AAC of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) — reduction of mandatory minimum where provisions in s 16AAC(3) apply — error by treating provision as capping maximum discount as a proportion of the mandatory minimum, as opposed to provision setting a minimum floor SENTENCING — federal offenders — sentence by State court for offence against Commonwealth law — whether aggregate sentencing under s 53A of Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) can be applied to federal offences — whether s 53A is capable of being picked up by s 68(1) of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) — whether there is a conflict between Pt 1B of the Crimes Act and s 53A(2)(b) — whether there is a conflict between s 16AAA of the Crimes Act and s 53A(2)(b) — s 53A is capable of being picked up as federal law and does not conflict with Pt 1B or s 16AAA of the Crimes Act

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Application for leave to appeal against sentence — Commonwealth offence — adverse credit findings about offender — extra-curial punishment

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – Indictment – Amendment – where leave granted to the Crown to amend indictment to include an ex officio charge pursuant to s 66EA of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – where s 66EA charge alleges offending both in Australia and in another country –– whether permitting the amendment of the indictment in the circumstances gave rise to an abuse of process

Catchwords:

CRIME – bail – release application – show cause test – conspiracy to import commercial quantity of cocaine – Operation Ironside – AN0M devices – admissibility of AN0M evidence – did the applicant enter into a conspiracy – strength of Crown case – long delay – cause shown – unacceptable risk test – electronic monitoring – risk mitigated – bail granted subject to conditions

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal – appeal against sentence –sentences for State and Commonwealth offences – contemporaneous sentences – inconsistent orders – recognizance release order to take effect during State non-parole period – need to adjust structure of sentences

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against conviction – jury irregularity – where judgment on admissibility mistakenly included in juror’s folder – individual juror discharged – decision to continue with jury of 11 – whether risk of miscarriage – inconsistent versions of whether document had been discussed or seen by remaining jurors – miscarriage established CRIME – tendency evidence – directions – construction of s 161A Criminal Procedure Act – standard of proof – danger of circular reasoning process – Shepherd direction – reliance on both charged and uncharged acts – potential for misuse of evidence – potential for jury to apply wrong standard of proof to charges – need for directions to guard against prejudice – whether directions occasioned miscarriage – proposed directions flatly contrary to statute – ground of appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – break and enter and commit serious indictable offence – principle of totality – manifest excess – notional starting point commensurate with objective gravity of the offending – offence committed nine days after release to parole – parole revoked – lengthy criminal history – personal history of deprivation – interplay between earlier sentence and sentence for the present offence – role of State Parole Authority in determining when to re-parole on earlier sentence

Catchwords:

SENTENCING – Crown appeal against inadequacy of sentence – manifest inadequacy – offence of break and enter and commit a serious indictable offence – sentencing judge’s discretion to evaluate the objective seriousness – “leniency” associated with an intensive correction order significantly moderated by the respondent’s time in custody – imposition of an ICO is nevertheless a custodial sentence

Catchwords:

CRIME – bail – de novo application before the Court of Criminal Appeal – bail sought in relation to federal and state offences – Commonwealth offences of unlawful export and possession of various protected species – fraud offences contrary to state legislation – appearance of two Crown prosecutors – potential unfairness in cross-jurisdictional opposition to bail – protracted criminal record dating back to 1988 – strong Crown case – applicant likely to spend a significant period in custody if convicted – COVID-19 considerations – offences not show cause – bail risks sufficiently ameliorated by stringent conditions

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Crown appeal against sentence — Persistent sexual abuse of a child — Approach to assessment of objective seriousness — Manifest inadequacy — Appeal allowed — Respondent resentenced

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – whether latent error in indicative sentences – whether inadequate reasons in arriving at indicative sentences – whether adequate assessment of objective seriousness of individual offences – finding that sentencing judge did not individually assess criminality of each offence – resentence

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals – appeal against sentence – aggregate sentence – whether the sentencing judge erred by imposing a sentence that was manifestly excessive – where the offending occurred in the community and in custody – where the community offending involved offences at five establishments in one night and another location a few days prior – where the offending in custody amounted to a riot and involved threatening prison officers – where the applicant was on bail for other offences – where the sentencing judge took into account the applicant’s youth and deprivation – where community protection and general deterrence were found to be significant – where challenge made to some of indicative sentences and to notional accumulation - where the only sentence relevant to a ground alleging manifest excess is an aggregate sentence – given the nature of the offending the aggregate sentence was not manifestly excessive SENTENCING – appeal against sentence – co-offenders – disparity between sentences – whether the applicant had a justifiable sense of grievance at the lack of disparity between his sentence and that of his co-offender – where the sentencing judge gave consideration to parity – where the indicative sentences for the same offences were identical or explicable by a Form 1 – where both offenders had similar backgrounds and were of a similar age – where the co-offender had additional charges and a worse criminal history – where the co-offender received an increased maximum sentence, increased non-parole period and a lesser reduction in the statutory ratio – applicant did not have a justifiable sense of grievance

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – trial – lies – where Crown did not seek to rely on pretext call evidence as containing admissions or rely on consciousness of guilt reasoning – where Crown asserted in closing address applicant made truthful admissions in pretext call from which it could be concluded that applicant had lied in his evidence to the jury – where no direction to jury given – whether absence of a direction occasioned a miscarriage of justice

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL APPEALS – prosecution appeal against asserted inadequacy of sentence – sexual offences against three separate victims – offences spanning 17 years – 12 counts of sexual intercourse without consent – grave examples – whether aggregate sentence manifestly inadequate – where offences committed against women to whom the offender was married or in a serious relationship – coercive control – sexual assault as punishment – degrading and humiliating conduct – where lengthy period of non-offending – evidence of good character and lack of criminal record – sentences imposed after trial – no evidence of remorse or insight – whether indicative sentences inadequate – combination of lenient sentence and absence of substantial notional accumulation – aggregate sentence manifestly inadequate, unreasonable and unjust – sentence failed to reflect gravity of offending and vindicate dignity of separate victims – residual discretion – respondent re-sentenced

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – appeal against sentence – Commonwealth and State offences – large number of child sexual assault offences – child abuse material – multiple victims – whether incorrect maximum penalty applied for some of the Commonwealth offences – whether error in indicative sentences for State offences – whether aggregate sentence for State offences manifestly excessive – no error in indicative sentences – no manifest excess – error by applying incorrect maximum penalty for some indicative sentences for Commonwealth offences – resentence for Commonwealth offences – slight adjustment to effective sentence applying totality principle

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – application for leave to appeal – self-representation not a privilege but a disadvantage – leave not ordinarily granted merely because a party is self-represented – applicant unaware no application was made while he had legal representation – leave to appeal granted CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – State and Commonwealth offences – accumulation, concurrency and totality – whether sentencing judge erred in wholly accumulating the Commonwealth aggregate sentence on the State sentence – no obligation to import a degree of concurrency – different criminality involved – whether sentencing judge erred by not expressly referring to R v Fernando and Bugmy v The Queen – sentencing judge had regard to the applicant’s subjective case and found reduced culpability – sentence passed necessarily stern to reflect the Commonwealth Parliament’s intention – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – Manifest excess – where applicant sentenced for 2 counts of aggravated sexual intercourse without consent, in company – where applicant sentenced on a joint criminal enterprise basis but found to be the instigator and organiser of the assault – whether the fact that the conduct was not motivated by sexual gratification lessens the severity of the offending

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – where expert evidence was not put before sentencing judge – whether there was a miscarriage of justice – whether evidence capable of materially affecting the outcome of the sentence proceedings – appeal allowed – resentence

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeals against conviction – Unreasonable verdict – Where co-accused have successfully appealed their convictions to the Court of Criminal Appeal on the basis that the evidence of a key Crown witness had serious difficulties which undermined his and its credibility and reliability and in circumstances where there was no objective supporting evidence linking the co-accused to the offending – Where the Crown case against the applicant for counts 1-3 was supported by corroborating evidence – Order extending time to appeal against conviction made – Leave to appeal granted – Conviction for count 4 quashed – Appeal otherwise dismissed in relation to counts 1-3 – Matter remitted to the District Court for re-sentence

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeals against sentence – Manifest excess – Where sentencing judge failed to make reference to the maximum penalty for one of the offences – Whether the sentencing judge conflated the issues regarding the applicant’s childhood disadvantage and his mental health conditions such that he was deprived of an assessment of moral culpability less than that found – Whether greater concurrency in the aggregate sentence required in applying the principle of totality – No inference of undisclosed error by the sentencing judge found – Leave to appeal granted – Appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – failure to take into account a relevant consideration – whether the sentencing judge failed to have regard to critical matters in the evaluation of objective seriousness – where applicant pleaded guilty to several offences of supplying a commercial quantity of prohibited drugs and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime – where applicant submitted that he tried to withdraw from the arrangement to possess the drugs – where applicant submitted that the sentencing judge failed to deal with the applicant’s possession of the drugs being highly reluctant – applicant accepted that he was not operating under duress – where the sentencing judge set out the facts from which the seriousness of the offending could be seen – where there was no evidence that the applicant withdrew from the arrangement – where the sentencing judge deal with submissions made on behalf of applicant – where matters raised on appeal were not put to the sentencing judge – no error demonstrated

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – jurisdiction of Court of Criminal Appeal – application for stay of sentence – pending determination of proposed appeal – effect of filing of notice of intention to appeal – extension of time within which to appeal – notice does not commence proceeding – jurisdiction of Court not engaged CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – application for stay of sentence – contingent exercise of discretionary power to stay – whether stay of sentence necessary to preserve subject-matter of proposed appeal against conviction – opportunities for early hearing rejected by applicant – extent of prejudice from serving part of non-custodial sentence

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeals against conviction — whether miscarriage of justice —Crown Prosecutor closing address — no evidence to support submissions on central issue — impermissible speculation — whether submissions affected jury verdict CRIME — appeals — appeals against conviction — whether miscarriage of justice — conduct of defence counsel — failure to object to submissions — failure to request evidentiary basis of Crown submissions — failure to address issue in cross-examination of complainant — defence case contrary to appellant’s evidence — no rational reason for conduct of defence counsel CRIME — appeals — appeals against conviction — unreasonable verdict — whether supported by evidence — new evidence — new evidence confirming position at trial on agreed facts — Crown case run contrary to agreed facts on one count — reasonable doubt not explained by manner in which evidence given — appellant acquitted on one count

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – requirement to show error in appeals under s 5AA of Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) – fact finding in circumstantial cases – where none of the circumstances relied upon was indispensable, each circumstance not required to be proved beyond reasonable doubt – circumstances not to be considered piecemeal but as a whole based on the entirety of the evidence – no error in the fact finding process SENTENCING – relevant factors on sentence –specific deterrence – whether sentencing judge impermissibly gave specific deterrence primary significance in sentencing – weight to be given to a factor such as specific deterrence quintessentially a matter for sentencing judge – no error disclosed SENTENCING – assessing objective seriousness – whether sentencing judge failed to take into account the relevant circumstances of the present case when assessing objective seriousness – relevant circumstances taken into account – no error disclosed SENTENCING – whether sentence is manifestly excessive – comparable cases providing a yardstick – sentence not manifestly excessive

Catchwords:

CRIME – Bail – Appeal bail – applicant required to establish that special or exceptional circumstances exist – where applicant to be sentenced for unrelated convictions shortly after bail hearing – where it is likely that further custodial sentence will be imposed on applicant – where applicant has not proved that proposed appeals are most likely to succeed – application refused

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – conviction appeal – convictions of uncle for sexual abuse of young nephews – complaints by children to mother – delay in reporting to police – mother and father in acrimonious separation – court proceedings against father for domestic violence – challenge to mother’s credibility – failure to use evidence in domestic violence trial to challenge mother’s credibility in sexual abuse trial involving father’s brother – whether incompetence of trial counsel – whether trial unfair

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – misapplication of principle – where applicant pleaded guilty to multiple counts of sexual intercourse without consent and common assault – where parties had been in intimate relationship – offending occurred as a result of victim terminating relationship - whether sentencing judge erred by failing to give full effect to the findings in relation to Bugmy – where applicant was found to have mental health conditions and a very harsh background – where applicant’s moral culpability was reduced as a result of Bugmy factors but weight still given to specific and general deterrence – challenge to assessment of objective seriousness - where sentencing judge increased sentence but not objective seriousness (as applicant asserted) by reason of Form 1 matters – where applicant’s knowledge of lack of consent arose from unreasonable belief in victim’s consent – no error in assessment of objective seriousness – sentence not manifestly excessive

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – conviction appeal – one count of sexual intercourse without consent – whether the verdict of the jury was unreasonable and not be supported by the evidence – whether fresh evidence would have changed outcome of trial

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against sentence — Application for leave to appeal — Drug supply offences — Parity principle — Where the applicant’s co-offender had committed similar offences with other offenders — Where the applicant raised a question of parity between his sentence and that of an offender who was sentenced for similar offences that were committed with the applicant’s co-offender

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – miscarriage of justice – whether trial miscarried because the applicant was denied the benefit of a good character direction – where applicant was unrepresented at the trial – where applicant had no history of sexual or violence offences – where no character direction of any sort was given – where Crown conceded that failure to give at least a limited good character direction gave rise to a miscarriage of justice - appeal upheld – conviction quashed – new trial ordered

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – application for leave to appeal out of time – manifest excess – old age and poor health of offender – whether sentencing judge erred in giving personal deterrence prominence alongside finding that offender unlikely to reoffend – whether sufficient weight given to onerous conditions of custody given offender’s deteriorating health and age – whether appropriate approach taken regarding parity with co-offenders – where non-parole period only 55% of head sentence to reflect individual circumstances of the offender – sentence not manifestly excessive – extension of time granted – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – recklessly causing grievous bodily harm – ex tempore judgment – whether judge made findings of fact not available on the evidence – whether judge erred in finding the objective seriousness as slightly above mid-range – whether judge erred in declining to find reduced moral culpability on the basis of offender’s alcohol use disorder – whether sentence manifestly excessive – erroneous findings of fact – no error with respect to objective seriousness – no error with respect to moral culpability – re-sentence – no lesser sentence

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – appeal against sentence – where expert evidence was unavailable at sentencing hearing – where applicant gave instructions not to adjourn sentencing hearing to obtain expert evidence – where it was unclear what advice was given to the applicant – whether there was a miscarriage of justice CRIME – Appeals – appeal against sentence – whether pre-sentence custody was taken into account CRIME – Appeals – appeal against sentence – extension of time in which to appeal

Catchwords:

SENTENCE APPEAL – plea of guilty to negligently dealing with the proceeds of crime contrary to s 404.3(3) of the Criminal Code (Cth) – applicant set up company structure and at the direction of others issued invoices – applicant did not perform any of work described in the invoices – when assessing objective seriousness of offending, sentencing judge took into account that “there was clearly planning in which the offender used his knowledge of accounting procedures and business affairs” – whether her Honour had taken into account an irrelevant consideration when assessing objective seriousness – error established – sentence appeal allowed – applicant re-sentenced.

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – interlocutory appeal – accused seeks to adduce co-accused’s conversation with police – excluded by trial judge – accused applies for separate trial to adduce evidence – probative value of evidence – whether evidence exculpatory – whether risk of injustice to accused if not able to adduce evidence in separate trial – leave to appeal refused.

Catchwords:

CRIME — bail — appeal bail — “special or exceptional circumstances” — s 22 Bail Act 2013 (NSW) — where application for release relies exclusively on strength of appeal — whether appeal is “most likely to succeed” — El-Hilli & Melville v R [2015] NSWCCA 146 — application refused

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction – Whether the evidence of an uncharged act was wrongly admitted as tendency evidence – Where no objection is taken at trial to the adducing of such tendency evidence and the trial judge’s direction in regard to it – Where leave under r 4.15 of the Supreme Court (Criminal Appeal) Rules 2021 (NSW) is required – Leave to appeal refused CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – Manifest excess – Whether the sentencing judge gave sufficient reasons in regard to the finding of substantial emotional harm suffered by the victim – Leave to appeal granted – Appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – appeal against sentence – parity – hindering a police investigation of an unlawful killing – assessment of comparative culpability and subjective circumstances of co-offenders – where appellant’s sentence incomparable with one asserted co-offender – whether one of the persons sentenced was properly to be considered a co-offender – where second co-offender’s objective and subjective factors comparable – modest difference between sentences justified – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against aggregate sentence – four counts involving two complainants of assaulting a female and committing an act of indecency on a person under the age of 16 years – whether sentencing judge gave consideration to reducing the applicant’s moral culpability due to his age at the time of offence – where applicant did not make submissions on his age and immaturity – sentencing judge still reduced the applicant’s moral culpability – no error shown - whether sentencing judge had failed to find remorse – where no submission made by applicant to sentencing judge regarding remorse - where applicant had previously apologised to one complainant – no other statement or indication of remorse - apology did not show that applicant had accepted responsibility for his action – no error shown CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – manifest excess – whether indicative sentences were excessive resulting in manifestly excessive aggregate sentence - where the offences constituted serious offending against two young and defenceless victims – where a generous reduction of the non-parole period was granted – indicative sentences and the aggregate sentence were open to the sentencing judge – sentence not manifestly excessive EVIDENCE – new evidence – evidence sought to be led on appeal which was not before sentencing judge – where applicant submitted a miscarriage of justice resulted from the absence in the sentencing proceedings of new evidence – new evidence related to a conviction recorded against the applicant in 1975 – where applicant submitted that the new evidence demonstrated his mental health issues relating to offences against second complainant – new evidence did not add anything of substance to evidence before sentencing judge – new evidence did not make any link or material contribution to the applicant’s offending – where sentencing judge had reduced the applicant’s moral culpability on account of his mental health – no miscarriage of justice - evidence rejected

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – particular offences – drug offences CRIMINAL LAW – release application – show cause offences – significant period of time on remand – strong Crown case – cause not shown

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction –whether miscarriage of justice arose out of conduct of Crown prosecutor – right to silence – consciousness of guilt reasoning – drawing of inferences unavailable on evidence – whether trial judge erred directing the jury it could rely on consciousness of guilt reasoning arising from the applicant’s demeanour and answers in ERISP – whether tendency directions amounted to a denial of procedural fairness appeal – appeal dismissed CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – multiple sexual assaults of child aged 10 years – whether sentencing judge erred in incorporating elements of s 66EA into sentencing decision – De Simoni principle – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against sentence — Application for leave to file notice of appeal out of time — Application for leave to appeal — Aggravated sexual intercourse without consent — Where circumstance of aggravation was that the complainant was under the age of 16 years — Whether sentencing judge erred in finding the complainant to be vulnerable and the offence to be aggravated by that fact — Whether the sentence was manifestly excessive

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against conviction — Unreasonable verdicts — Child sex offences

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction –murder – death by thermal injury – where Crown relied on alternative acts causing death – extent to which jury unanimity required – where standard unanimity direction given – where direction given with respect to alternative intentional acts causing death – whether failure to direct jury as to requirement of unanimity as to specific act causing death

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeals against conviction — murder — whether miscarriage of justice — whether Liberato direction complete or effective — where evidence of applicant from previous trial tendered — where both parties rely on evidence of applicant —trial judge directions sufficient in particular circumstances — no miscarriage of justice

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – totality – whether sentencing judge erred in the application of the principles of totality – sentencing for multiple domestic violence offences – antecedent and current offences – determination involves exercise of discretion – non-parole periods – departure from statutory norm – whether reflective of error – applicant’s argument flawed – no foundation to complaint – leave to appeal granted – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – APPEAL – appeal against sentence – Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) ss 11.1(1) and 307.5(1) – attempt to possess unlawfully imported border controlled drug – commercial quantity – ratio of non-parole period to the overall sentence – existence of convention in Commonwealth matters – manifest excess

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – Whether open to primary judge to find intent to kill – Whether disparate sentences between co-offenders consonant with parity principle – Whether sentence imposed manifestly excessive – Appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – appeal against sentence – parity – aid and abet in an attempt to possess a commercial quantity of cocaine – assessment of comparative culpability of co-offenders – extent of disparity not justified – appeal allowed – resentence

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against sentence — Parity

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – Court suppression and non-publication orders – Grounds – Open justice – Presumption in favour of open justice – Inutility in making orders under Act where there are other mechanisms having similar effect – Where limited order “necessary” to prevent prejudice to administration of justice CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – Court suppression and non-publication orders – Grounds – Undue distress and embarrassment – Where undue distress and embarrassment is asserted by well known relative of applicant – Insufficient reason to order non-publication or suppression MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS – Open justice – Access to court files – Application for access – Where court proceedings occurred in open court – Access to file granted

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS – Stated question – question of law arising on appeal to Land and Environment Court – offence attracting special executive liability – cause place to be used as waste facility without lawful authority – law providing for special executive liability of executives for offence by corporation – offence committed by local council – liability of general manager of council – law applies to and in respect of council in same way as applies to and in respect of corporation – whether special executive liability law applies to and in respect of council – whether law applies to and in respect of general manager

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – failure to leave to the jury alternative verdict of manslaughter based on excessive self-defence in s 421 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – whether failure caused a miscarriage of justice – where applicant pleaded guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder in front of the jury – applicant convicted of murder as part of a joint or extended joint criminal enterprise – where no expert evidence proving which of the accused committed the act causing death – whether evidence capable of supporting an alternative verdict of manslaughter – whether evidence capable of supporting formation of a tacit agreement to act in concerted self-defence – whether failure to leave excessive self-defence caused substantial miscarriage of justice CRIME – appeals – statutory interpretation – excessive self-defence – meaning of “force that involves the infliction of death” in s 421 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – whether something less than a direct causal connection is required to raise the partial defence – whether distinction between the use of force that involves the infliction of death and force that causes death

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against convictions – knowingly taking part in supply of a prohibited drug – large commercial quantities of methylamphetamine found on premises jointly leased by applicant and her husband – jury directions – directions sought as to (i) applicant’s power as joint tenant to prevent the storage of drugs on premises by co-tenant and (ii) inability of applicant to prevent storage of drugs on premises by husband – directions inappropriate where prosecution case based on knowing and willing participation by applicant WORDS AND PHRASES – “take part in” – “permit”

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – conviction appeal – applicant pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to manufacture a pistol without permit or licence – no evidence to establish that offences committed – miscarriage of justice if not allowed to withdraw pleas of guilty – convictions quashed – aggregate sentence relating to these and other offences set aside – whether matter should be remitted to the District Court – matter remitted for resentence

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – severity appeal – dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception offences – offences committed against employer – self-represented applicant – where applicant does not squarely raise legal error, manifest excess or miscarriage – where applicant concedes he cannot identify an error of law – where applicant candidly referred to his own responsibility and asked for a degree of leniency – not a basis on which this Court can intervene EVIDENCE – question as to new evidence sought to be relied upon by applicant on appeal – where there is no evidence linking new evidence to commission of offences – where this Court not persuaded that a miscarriage of justice was occasioned as a result of the absence of the new evidence before the sentencing judge – established principles – leave to rely upon new evidence refused CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – Form 1s – where the Court raised with counsel for the Crown a concern with respect to the manner in which offences on the Form 1s were dealt with – where Crown did not oppose the applicant being granted leave to rely on a complaint of this nature in the absence of an articulated ground of appeal – error found with respect to Form 1s – parties led sentencing judge into error – sentencing judge could not correctly undertake the process of determining an appropriate aggregate sentence due to lack of information – sentencing discretion miscarried – sentencing discretion exercised afresh

Catchwords:

CRIME – sentencing – appeal by Crown against sentence – sexual intercourse without consent – where offending occurred in circumstances of geographical isolation – where age and power differential between victim and respondent – whether sentence manifestly inadequate – whether residual discretion should not be exercised – appeal allowed

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against sentence – domestic violence offences – application of principles in Bugmy v the Queen (2013) 249 CLR 571; [2013] HCA 37 – whether weight given to childhood deprivation wrongly reduced by sentencing judge – relevance of considerations of the seriousness of the offence CRIME – appeal against sentence – leave to appeal out of time sought

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – appeals – appeal against conviction – unreasonable verdict not supported by the evidence – whether the evidence adduced at trial was capable of proving guilt beyond reasonable doubt – jury’s advantage in seeing and hearing the evidence – verdict not unreasonable – appeal dismissed CRIMINAL LAW – appeals – appeal against conviction - whether trial miscarried because of Crown’s closing address – whether it was improper for the Crown to invite the jury to “jettison” the evidence of a witness – no complaint made at trial – no miscarriage established – appeal dismissed CRIMINAL LAW – appeals – appeal against conviction – whether the trial miscarried because evidence which was audible but not transcribed resulted in the trial being conducted as though it had not been adduced – miscarriage established – appeal allowed – retrial ordered

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence –Appropriate where facts relevant to sentencing are disputed to acknowledge in terms that facts adverse to an offender must be proved beyond reasonable doubt – No indication that sentencing judge applied something less than the correct standard of proof CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – Necessary to give reasons for finding of facts material to sentencing which are under dispute – Failure to give reasons – Resentencing by Court of Criminal Appeal CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – Parity – Where applicant’s criminality somewhat higher than co-offender and subjective case somewhat weaker – No basis for complaint in relation to parity – No lesser sentence warranted

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – misapplication of principle – dealing with property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime -whether sentencing judge breached De Simoni principle – where absolute liability applied to mental element of the offence - whether sentencing judge drew inference about the mental element to sentence for a more serious offence – sentencing remarks do not disclose any such inference CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – denial of procedural fairness – offender with gambling addiction - whether sentencing judge introduced into his deliberations evidence that was not before him – whether applicant’s attendance at a video game convention involved a form of gambling – whether applicant was provided the opportunity to make submissions on the matter – where applicant did not show that he had addressed his gambling addiction generally – where applicant’s continued gambling did not affect the assessment of the applicant’s prospect of reoffending – no denial of procedural fairness

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction – Exclusion of evidence under s 293 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) – Whether evidence of sexual experience of complainant at about the time of the commission of the alleged prescribed sexual offences – Whether evidence of sexual experience of complainant forms part of connected set of circumstances in which alleged prescribed sexual offences occurred – Evidence not forming part of such circumstances CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction – Unreasonable verdict – Where offending occurred at applicant’s chiropractic studio – Where complainant has limited grasp of English – Where complainant took contemporaneous notes – Alleged inconsistencies between notes and other evidence – Where inconsistencies explicable – Verdict reasonably open to jury on all counts

Catchwords:

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY – question submitted to Court of Criminal Appeal pursuant to s 5AE of Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) – whether pure question of law – whether appropriate to answer

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – interlocutory appeal – decision to refuse a permanent stay – criterion for leave to appeal from interlocutory decision in criminal proceedings – whether leave to appeal should be granted – where applicant for stay had been found unfit to stand trial on the indictment pursuant to the Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020 (NSW) – whether standard of appellate review is the correctness standard in light of the High Court’s decision in GLJ v The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Lismore [2023] HCA 32; (2023) 97 ALJR 857 – whether there was an error of principle and possibility or likelihood of substantial injustice CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – stay of proceedings – permanent – where permanent stay of proceedings sought on multiple bases including the Applicant’s mental infirmity and forensic disadvantages arising out of delays in bringing the prosecution – whether “common humanity” test applies in cases where more than mental infirmity is relied upon to found an application for a permanent stay – whether sufficient weight given to the Applicant’s mental infirmity – whether primary judge inappropriately weighed the forensic advantage accruing to the accused as a result of delays in bringing the prosecution against those accruing to the Crown

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – Appeals – appeal by applicant against aggregate sentence – trial judge’s misstatement of statutory threshold for large commercial quantity of methylamphetamine – trial judge overemphasised role of weight as factor in sentencing – appeal allowed – resentence applicant – lesser sentence warranted CRIMINAL LAW – Parity principle – issue of equality before the law – comparison of seriousness of criminality of applicant against co-offenders – like cases be treated alike – different cases be treated differently according to circumstances of the case – no error as to application of parity principle

Catchwords:

CRIME — application for leave to appeal against sentence — application for leave to appeal out of time — extension of time and leave to appeal granted. CRIME — appeal against sentence — aiding and abetting the supply of commercial quantity prohibited drugs — whether sentencing judge erred in assessment of objective seriousness — storage of prohibited drugs and characterisation of applicant as “user dealer” open to sentencing judge — no specific error demonstrated — appeal dismissed. CRIME — appeal against sentence — whether sentence was manifestly excessive — ground not made out — appeal dismissed.

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL LAW – bail – bail application – applicant charged with a number of drug-related offences including one show cause offence – applicant the director of a commercial cleaning supplies business which imported large quantities of various precursors and GBL – applicant arrested and remanded in custody – applicant applied for bail at the Local Court – bail refused – two further bail applications made at the Supreme Court – bail refused on both occasions – further application for a new hearing in Court of Criminal Appeal – s 75 Bail Act 2013 (NSW) – whether the applicant could show cause – ability to prepare for trial – applicant to be provided a laptop in custody – strength of the Crown case in relation to the show cause offence – evidence put forward on the present application did not indicate a strong Crown case for that offence – where there was to be a delay of two and a half years between arrest and trial – remand unacceptable in the circumstances – cause shown – whether the applicant poses an unacceptable risk – whether the applicant may interfere with witnesses – no evidence to suggest a real risk of such interference – whether the applicant will continue to commit serious offences – applicant has prior related convictions and ongoing drug issues – serious bail concern – whether the applicant would fail to appear – strong Crown case in relation to the other offences and high likelihood of custodial sentence if convicted – applicant’s family reside in Lebanon – no extradition treaty with Lebanon – provision of surety and electronic monitoring fail to mitigate these serious bail concerns – bail refused

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – child sex offence – where no explicit reference to s 16A(2AAA) Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) in remarks on sentence – where sentence proceedings previously reopened to correct orders – whether sentencing judge failed to engage with a mandatory sentencing consideration – whether sentencing discretion miscarried – appeal allowed

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against sentence – historic child sexual offences against own children and recent sex offences against step-grandson – application of MK v R; RB v R (2023) 112 NSWLR 96; [2023] NSWCCA 180 – approach to sentencing for s 66EA offences discussed – complaint of manifest excess considered

Catchwords:

CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against sentence — Re-sentence — Commencement date of sentence

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeal against sentence – where discount applied per s 23 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) – in addition to discount for early pleas of guilty – drug supply offences and firearms possession offence – determining appropriate s 23 discount – where sentencing judge suggested discount percentages at sentence hearing but applied different percentages at judgment – complaints relating to procedural fairness and failure to provide reasons

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — unreasonable verdict — 11 counts of sexual offending by applicant against biological daughter — whether verdicts unable to be supported by the evidence — whether complainant lacked credibility — where complainant did not make contemporaneous complaint — whether complainant had motive to lie — where there were minor inconsistencies in complainant’s evidence as to tangential details — whether complainant’s version implausible CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — unreasonable verdict — where applicant convicted of offence under s 66C(2) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) — where s 66C(2) requires proof that complainant was under 14 years of age at time of offending — where there was reasonable doubt as to complainant’s age — where alternative charge under s 66C(4) was left to jury — whether Court of Criminal Appeal could find the applicant guilty of the alternative count

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeal against sentence — manifest excess — where applicant challenged aggregate sentence on ground that indicative sentence was manifestly excessive — where applicant did not submit that aggregate sentence was manifestly excessive — where patent error was not alleged — whether alleged manifestly excessive indicative sentence caused sentencing discretion to miscarry — whether Court could re-exercise sentencing discretion on such basis

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – child sexual assault against multiple victims – trial judge sentenced on the basis of a concession – whether sentence manifestly excessive

Catchwords:

CRIME – Crown appeal against inadequacy of aggregate sentence – 6 offences against s 66C(4) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) (“Crimes Act”) – 2 offences against s 66C(3) of the Crimes Act – Form 1 offences – a single victim – whether indicative sentences manifestly inadequate – whether offences committed whilst respondent was subject to an ADVO is an aggravating factor under s 21A(2)(j) of the Crimes (Sentencing and Procedure Act) 1999 (“CSP Act”) – whether Form 1 offences and aggravating factors adequately reflected in indicative sentences – whether the specification of the non-parole period in standard non-parole period offences in indicative sentences was a technicality – whether offence being committed in the garage of the victim’s home was an aggravating factor under s 21A(eb) of the CSP Act – victim impact statement – s 25AA of the CSP Act – whether heightened need for specific and general deterrence – whether aggregate sentence manifestly inadequate – whether residual discretion should not be exercised – [redacted] – assessment of moral culpability – sentence increased

Catchwords:

CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – child sex offences – multiple instances of offending over two decades – where statements made in relation to special circumstances during sentencing hearing – where sentencing judge declined to vary the statutory ratio – whether statements made by sentencing judge raise procedural unfairness – whether sentence manifestly excessive – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – Application for leave to appeal – Whether the sentencing judge erred in finding that factors contributing to the disadvantage and mental health of the applicant increased the importance of community protection – Whether such disadvantage and mental health factors ought to have moderated the moral culpability of the offender – Whether the sentencing judge erred in the assessment of the indicative sentence – Whether the sentence was manifestly excessive.

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — miscarriage of justice — whether direction to jury about elements of s 61HE of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) erroneous — elements of proving applicant was reckless as to whether complainant consented to sexual intercourse— distinction between advertent and inadvertent recklessness — distinction between subjective and objective recklessness CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — unreasonable verdict — where applicant convicted of attempted and actual sexual intercourse with complainant without her consent — where complainant was intoxicated — whether complainant lacked credibility — whether complainant’s evidence unreliable — whether Crown excluded applicant’s version beyond reasonable doubt — whether applicant knew the complainant was not consenting to sexual intercourse

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – fitness inquiry – question of unfitness raised by self-represented accused at commencement of trial – District Court refused to order an inquiry – urgent application for leave to appeal under Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5F – where finding that psychiatrist’s opinion founded on accused’s “pretended” presentation and history – where psychiatrist’s report given little or no weight – whether trial judge erred in finding that question of unfitness not raised in good faith, engaging prohibition in Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act, s 10(2) – whether on evidence there was a real or substantial concern as to unfitness – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – stay of proceedings – lack of legal representation – stay refused by District Court – urgent application for leave to appeal refusal of stay under Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5F – where previous counsel had withdrawn – where trial was to commence in matter of weeks – where applicant not impecunious – where applicant did not establish that had taken reasonable steps to secure other representation – appeal dismissed

Catchwords:

CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — miscarriage of justice — whether trial judge’s failure to recuse herself and abort trial resulted in a miscarriage of justice — where new evidence raised mid-trial — where defence would have conducted their case differently had the evidence been raised before trial — whether failure to vacate had a prejudicial effect — whether appellant was denied a fair trial CRIME — appeals — appeal against conviction — unreasonable verdict — whether conviction of child sexual assault offences could not be supported having regard to the evidence — whether inconsistencies in the complainant’s evidence raised reasonable doubt about the applicant’s guilt — where complainant signed a retraction statement — where applicant subsequently admitted offending conduct to members of his own family CRIME — appeals — appeal against sentence – extension of time in which to appeal — whether extension of time for leave to appeal against sentence ought be granted — where applicant suffers from terminal illness — whether fresh evidence of terminal illness ought be received — whether applicant was suffering from terminal illness at time of sentencing — where applicant has been released on parole