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CATCHWORDS
Criminal law - Appeal against sentence - Evidence to be
considered - Need for appellate Court to know clearly and
exactly what material presented to Court sentencing offender -
Admission of fresh evidence on appeal - Limits on capacity of
appellate Court to form conclusions of its own - Possession of
heroin for the purpose of supply - Administering heroin - Effect
of plea of guilty - Role of appellate Court in endeavouring to
ensure consistency or parity between sentences for the same
offence - Lack of meaningful statistics - Use of available
statistics - Quantity of heroin - Reasons for procuring supply -
Involvement of Police.
Criwes Act, 1900 (N.S.W.) s.447B.
viarcotic Drug Ordinance, 1978 ss.3, 4, 6.
ON APPEAL FROM THE SUPREME COURT OF THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL
TERRITORY
BOZO JURKOVIC v. THE QUEEN
No. A.C.T. G28 of 1981
CORAM: Fox, Kelly and Ellicott, JJ.
23 December 1981
Canberra, A.C.T.
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
DISTRICT REGISTRY
)
}
) No. ACT G 28 of 1981
)
)
)
GENERAL DIVISION
ON APPEAL FROM THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
BOZO JURKOVIC
Appellant
THE QUEEN
Respondent
ORDER
JUDGES MAKING ORDER: Fox, Keily and Ellicott JJ
DATE OF ORDER: 2? 3 DEC 1981
WHERE MADE: Canberra.
The Court orders that:
1. The appeal be allowed and the sentences set
aside.
2. For the offence under s.4(3) of the Poisons
and Narcotic Drug Ordinance 1978 of possessing
heroin for the purpose of supplying it to
another person or persons, the appellant be
sentenced to imprisonment for a term of four
years, with a non-parole period of twenty-one
w
The Court
months.
For the offence under s.6(2) of the said
Ordinance of administering heroin to himself,
the appellant be sentenced to imprisonment
for a term of three months, to run concurrently
with the sentence under (2).
The terms of the sentences and the non-parole
period to commence from the date of the com-
mencement of the sentences imposed by the
Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory.
The matter be remitted to the Supreme Court of
the Australian Capital Territory for execution
in accordance with this judgment.
adds that:
In this case the Court requests the Registrar to
convey to the prison authorities its recommen-
dation that all reasonable steps be taken during
the period of the appellant's imprisonment to
overcome or greatly reduce his drug dependency.
It is very much in the public interest, as well
as his own, that this be done. To this end a
copy of Sister Moriarty's evidence should be
supplied to those authorities. The Court also
requests the Registrar to ensure that this
recommendation, and the evidence mentioned, be
placed before the authority considering the
release of the appellant on parole, and the terms
of that release.
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
No. ACT G 28 of 1981
DISTRICT REGISTRY
eae ae ee eee ae
GENERAL DIVISION
ON APPEAL FROM THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
BOZO JURKOVIC
Appellant
THE QUEEN
Respondent
CORAM: Fox, Kelly and Ellicott JJ
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
FOX J.
This is an appeal against the sentences imposed
on the appellant by the Supreme Court of the Australian
Capital Territory (Blackburn CJ) following pleas of
guilty to charges under s.4(3) and s.6(2) of the Poisons
and Narcotic Drug Ordinance 1978. The (Cirst-mentioned
charge was one of possessing heroin for the purpose of
supplying it to another person or persons, and for that
offence he was sentenced to five years imprisonment with a
non-parole period of two and a half years. The second
offence for which he was sentenced was one of administering
heroin to himself, and the sentence imposed was imprison-
ment for one year. The two sentences were ordered to be
served concurrently.
The material before us includes depositions
taken 1n the Court of Petty Sessions and is voluminous.
The Crown not objecting, we admitted as fresh evidence the
part of the depositions not aiready before us, because it
appeared that although that part was not formally tendered,
some of it was handed up to the learned judge; he read some
pages of it to which he was referred, and may have read
others. There were three defendants in the Court of Petty
Sessions against whom charges under s.4(3) had been laid,
and the proceedings against them were heard together
in the Supreme Court. There was also a further charge
against the appellant, relating to cannabis, and he pleaded
guilty to 1t, but the learned judge, being in doubt as to
the correctness of the plea, adjourned the mattcr to a date
to be fixed.
The case draws attention again to the need to
know with clarity and exactness what material was presented
to the Court of first instance which considered sentence.
If sentence follows trial by a jury, the facts concerning
the commission of the crime will usually have been dealt
with fully. The jury's verdict will involve certain
manifest conclusions, which are binding. If other con-
clusions are to be drawn against the accused, they have to
be the subject of admissions, or the presiding judge will
himself have to find the necessary facts, proved to the
usual standard, (see per Bray CJ in Law v Deed (1970) SASR
374, 378) from the evidence already adduced, or from
further evidence presented to him. If there are issues of
any substance, the judge must know what they are, so that
he can record his decision upon them.
The evidence placed before a judge at the
sentencing stage is to assist in arriving at an approp-
riate sentence for the particular crime. Appropriate, that
is to say, having in mind the limited sentencing options
available. For this purpose, evidence on a range of matters
such as character, prior convictions, personal and family
background and personality or psychological fectors is
admitted. Care must be taken to ensure that adverse
material is relevant and properly proved (R v Van Pelz
(1944) 29 Cr.App.R. 10; Rv Sargeant (1974) 60 Cr.App.R.
74, 79). It is necessary to avoid reliance on ovidence as
to other offences for which there are not convictions. If
what 1s properly established does suggest or go towards
proving some other offence, its effect in that connection
must be disregarded. The accused can only be sentenced
for the crime for which he has been found guilty, or in
respect of which he has pleaded guilty. There is as yet no
provision or custom in the Australian Capital Territory
which enables other offences "to be taken into consider-
ation" (cf. s.447B of the Crimes Act, 1900 (NSW)). The
relevant general principles were recently dealt with by the
lligh Court in R v De Simoni (1981) 55 ALJR 469,474,478 the
actual decision in which turned upon the terms of the West
Australian Code (see at 472).
It is important to an appellate Court that it
know with precision what the relevant evidence is, and in
relation to matters in dispute, what the findings of the
judge were. The admission by it of fresh evidence is by no
Means routine. One result of such a course is to make it
difficult for the Court to know what effect should be given
to a finding of the judge at First instance, which was
based on less complete evidence, or how the exercise of his
discretion should be evaluated. A remission of the case to
the Court below may become necessary (cf. Lawless v The
Queen (1979) 26 ALR 161 at 166,172,182,183). In ordinary
circumstances, we would give considerable weight to the
trial judge's assessment and would only interfere with the
exercise of his discretion on the matter of sentence if
satisfied that he has made a material error, or that the
sentence is unreasonably disproportionate to the crime. In
the present case we have been referred, mainly by counsel
for the appellant, to various parts of the depositions, as
if we should form conclusions of our own on a variety of
matters, but there are limits to what we can do in this
regard.
Looking first at the more serious offence, it 1s
desirable to set out the statutory provisions creating the
offence:
"Section 4 (1) In this section, 'controlled
substance' means a substance that 1s a
Schedule 8 substance or a Schedule 12 sub-
stance.
(2) A person who supplies a con-
trolled substance to another person is guilty
of an offence.
(3) A person who has a controlled
substance in his possession for the purpose of
supplying the substance to another person or
to other persons is guilty of an offence.
(4) In proceedings for an offence
against sub-section (3), a person who has in
his possession a quantity of a controlled
substance, being a quantity that exceeds the
prescribed traffickable quantity for that sub-
stance, shall, unless the contrary is proved
or the person proves that he had lawful
authority to have the substance in his posses-
sion, be taken to have the substance in his
possession for the purpose of supplying the
substance to another pcorson or to other persons.
(5) <An offence against sub-section
(2) or (3) 18 punishable upon indictment.
(6) A person who commits an offence
against sub-section (2) or (3) is punishable,
on conviction -
(a) if the offence is committed in relation
to a substance other than cannabis - by
imprisonment for a term not exceeding
25 years or a fine not exceeding
$100,000 or both such imprisonment and
Fine; and
(b) if the offence is committed in relation
to cannabis - by imprisonment for a term
not excceding 10 years or a fine not
exceeding $4,000 or both such imprison-
ment and fine."
Heroin 1s a "controlled substance" and the
"traffickable quantity" thereof (s.4(4) and Schedule 9) is
2 grams.
In the present case, there was a mixture of
sugar and heroin the weight of which was 10.9 grams, but
the amount of heroin in 1t was only .872 grams.
In late November 1980, one Banesic, who was known
to the police in connection with his use of drugs, told
them that there was a 3 months supply of heroin in Canberra,
and that he thought he could get some. His motivation
in voluntecring this information was apparently that he
was tired of the police pursuing users, and not getting
at the people higher up. He mentioned one Gomez as a
person engaged in selling. The police invited him to go
ahead, and together they set up what one policcman has
called a "controlled buy", the idea being to trap the
supplicr. The utilisation of Banesic's services was dealt
with in the following passages in the evidence of
Detective Senior Constable Lewis of the drug squad'
"Is 1t the case that the man Banesic was
asked to co-operate in playing the role of
a police agent in this investigation? ---
He was given the opportunity of participat-
ing in that role, yes.
So the suggestion was made to him'?---No, I
would not say that.
What do you mean by your last answer?---He
offered to fulfil that role to begin with,
and we took him up on it."
Banesic asked the appellant to get a supply, but the latter,
who mistrusted Banesic, refused. Banesic then asked Gomez
to see 1f he could get a supply of heroin, and thev agreed
upon an amount of 10 "foils". Gomez then approached the
appellant, with whom he was friendly, and the latter agreed
to get what was required, but on the basis that Banesic
did not know of his involvement. The police, by dint of
surveillance, came to believe that Gomez was the primarv
local source of supply, but he was in fact only an inter-
mediary, as also was the appellant. The name of the
supplier to the appellant remains unknown. Although the
appellant gave evidence before the learned judge, he
refused to disclose the name, on the ground that he was
likely to be mistreated in prison by other inmates, and
possibly kilied, then or later, if he did so.
The appellant obtained the heroin in a packet
containing 10 foils and promptly delivered it all to
Gomez. Gomez took two portions of it, gave one to the
appellant, and kept one himself. The remainder was
divided into 23 "foils". The appellant immediately used
his portion to give himself a "shot" by injection. How
many "shots" or oral doses were in the 25 foils does not
appear from the evidence. The literature shows that the
amount of heroin in a dose varices considerably, depending
on such factors as its purity, the method of use, the
period for which it has been used by a particular individual,
and the degree of his addiction. The USA Drug Enforcement
Agency has a category "small habit users", being those who
use on the average 10 mg. heroin per day; "large habit
users'' are those who on average use 87 mg. per day. These
figures should only be taken as providing a very general
guide. In Rv Kays (1979) 25 ALR 174,175,177, Burt CJ
accepted the accused's statement that 3.7 grams of heroin
would only "make up to something like 32 shots", lasting an
addicted person only five or six days. Assuming even dis-
tribution, each foil would have contained a maximum of
about 38 milligrams of heroin. The appellant was apprehended
when Gomez, with the appellant nearby, was in the process of
handing over the supply to Banesic and obtaining payment for
1t. Police were waiting, as planned with Banesic, at the
place of transfer.
The appellant pleaded guilty to this charge
when called on to plead at his trial. The prosecutor
then stated relevant facts, a police officer (Detective
Senior Constable McGeachie) was called to give the ante-
cedents report, and he was cross-examined on a number of
matters relevant to the offence itself. Detective Senior
Constable Lewis was called to give evidence at length, and
the appellant's fiancee, with whom he was living, also
gave evidence. Sister Moriarty, the Co-ordinator of the
Drug Referral and Information Centre at Reid gave evidence
relating to the appellant's addiction, about which he had
seen her as early as 1978, and the possible efficacy in his
case of methadone treatment. There were then all the
depositions from the committal proceedings to which I have
referred.
The Crown case is not based on s.4(4). There is
the one offencc, namely that under sub-section (3), but
sub-section (4) is a deeming provision with a reverse
onus. As already mentioned, in the case of heroin, the
"prescribed traffickable quantity" to which sub-section (4)
refers is 2 grams. We were referred to s.3(4) which is
in the following terms:
"A preparation or admixture that contains a
substance that is specified, or is to be
taken to be specified, in a schedule to this
Ordinance, other than Schedule 9, shall,
unless the contrary intention appears, be
taken to be a substance specified in that
schedule."
This sub-section does not mean that the weight of the total
admixture is to be taken as the Figure when applying
schedule 9. It simply means that hcroin glucose is still
heroin for the purpose of the schedules (other than
schedule 9), no matter how small or large the proportion of
heroin. The consequence is that in the present case the
appellant must be taken as having pleaded guilty to the
offence stated in s.4(3), without its operation being
extended by sub-section (4), - the amount of heroin being
far too small.
It is convenient to make two observations at this
stage. One is that because the section draws no distinc-
tion between the amount of the drug, or indeed as to the
type of drug, the Court must be left with a wide discretion.
Heroin is of course to be treated as one of the most harn-
ful drugs. The other is that while there is the onc maximum
penalty for offences under sub-sections (2) and (3), they
are recognised as distinct offences and are not otherwise
assimilated.
Counsel for the appellant argued this case with
commendable assiduity. His first major point was that the
learned judge had paid excessive regard to the heavy maximum
penalty prescribed by the Ordinance. The maximum sentence
accords with a legislative policy followed generally in
Australia, after Ministerial conferences a few years ago
concerning the drug problem. His Honour referred to the
maximum penalty aspect more than once, and particularly in
the following passage:
"The law provides the maximum penalty of
25 years imprisonment and $100,000 fine
or both thus demonstrating unmistakably
the strongest possible legislative dis-
approval of what is a foul and revolting
crime. I use those words expressly,
deliberately and in relation to the actual
crimes which have been committed in these
casos."
(These remarks were also directed at "two other persons
who committed the same offence" and to whom I have already
referred as being before his Honour at the same time).
It 15 not to be doubted that the prescribed
maximum penalty is a factor to be taken into account, par-
ticularly when it has been enacted recently. The extreme
horror and disgust with which the public regards the traf-
facking in hard drugs 1s registered in the present
legislation. At the same time, the maximum is intended for
application to the worst possible circumstances. It is
recognised, as it has to be in relation to virtually all
crimes, that circumstances are infinitely various, that
moral blame differs considerably between cases, and that
there are principles regarding sentencing and the purposes
to be achieved which a Court has to apply to the particular
case (see Rv Sargeant (supra, at 77)). Subject to what
the legislative authority may specifically prescribe, and
using all available guidance, the overall duty of the Court
is to do what appears to be best for the safcty and the
welfare of the community. In forming its assessment the
Court will take account of long trm as well as short term
considerations. Reform or improvement while imprisoned 1s
important for the sake of both the country and the individual.
The maximum sentence for the present crime has
been set out earlier. A sentence of 25 years imprisonment
is akin to a sentence of life imprisonment in its effect,
if it is not more severe. Undoubtedly there are situations
in which it would be appropriate.
One of the functions of a court dealing with an
appeal against sentence is to endeavour to ensure that
there is a measure of consistency or parity between sentences
for the same offence. Moreover, the extent of a sentonce
cannot be worked out a priori; there must be empirical
standards of comparison. I have collected information con-
cerning sentences imposed in the Australian Capital Territory
and in New South Wales and Victoria for heroin offences the
same as or comparable with those for which the present
appellant has been convicted. I should interpolate the
observation that so far as I can ascertain there is no com-
prehensive sect of meaningful statistics available. I have
also looked at recent English cases (where, however, the
maximum is 14 years) and read what Thomas, Principles of
Sentencing, 2nd edn. (1979) has to say at pp. 188, 189.
Only a very general guidance can be obtained in this way,
and caution has to be used in applying such information as
is available. Two factors seem uniformly to be regarded as
important. One is the amount of the drug, in terms of pure
heroin. The other 1s whether, supply being a purpose, the
supply was to be for straight out commercial profit (the
more serious case) or for financing the prisoner's own
addiction ; in the latter case part would doubtless be for
his own use. In the last-mentioned type of case, five
years imprisonment is in general at or towards the top of
the range, if the amount involved is small. There is a
useful discussion of sentencing in relation to Australian
drug legislation by J. Willis in (1980) 12 Melb.ULR at p.467ff.
Counsel points to the small amount of heroin
involved in this case. I have already discussed this
aspect. From my reading on the subject, I would judge it
to be very small as compared with many cases coming before
the Courts. It is less than half the "traffickable quantity".
It is then pointed out that the appellant
obtained, and supplicd, the heroin, in response to a par-
ticular request which was made in collaboration with the
police. The learned judge dealt with this matter as follows:
"Now, applying this to the case before me,
the evidence in my opinion does not show
that the offence was instigated by a police
officer or by a person acting under the
instructions of the police in the sense
that it would not have been committed had
not the police procured its commission.
That, I sav, is not shown by this cvidencc.
It is clear on the evidence that there was
collaboration between the police and
another person to procure the apprehension
of the accused and others.
There has been some discussion about particular
words used by his Honour, but the relevant question is
whether 1t was as a result of police action that the order
was placed by the appellant and possession for the purpose
of supply was obtained by him. I do not understand the
answer to be 1n dispute. There was no evidence which
would have supported a finding against the appellant that
he would have made the particular supply had not the par-
ticular request been made, or that the request would have
been made had the police not asked for it to be made, or
supported the making of it. For reasons already given, it
cannot be said against him that he would or might have
done the same sort of thing anyway. The evidence 1s clear
that the police were acting in collaboration with Bancsic
before the order was placed with the appellant, and the
nature of the trap was decided before then. They provided
Banesic with the $7,200 which was said to be the purchase
price of the heroin in question. This amount seems to
have been greatly above the value of the heroin. It is true
that the appellant did not know the police were involved,
and that he supplied to the order of Gomez, but that con-
sideration goes to the significance of the involvement, not
to its existence, or its relation to the supply in question.
I am therefore respectfully of the view that his Honour was
partly in error in his expression of the conclusion to which
I have referred.
Counsel for the Crown asks us to treat theo
appellant as a "dealer" in heroin, and such a view may
have been presented to the judge. It would I think have
been contrary to the principles to which I have already
referred for the learned judge to have acted on a view that
the appellant was engaged in a business or practice of
dealing 1n heroin. This would have amounted to a finding
that he had committed similar offences on other occasions.
In fact, the judge made no such finding. The problem
was nevertheless a difficult one, and a fine dividing
line was involved, because it was an important part of the
appellant's case relative to sentence that he had a heroin
dependency. He strongly presented a case that he had
frequently (although not regularly) dosed himself with
heroin. For this purpose he plainly obtained supplies.
In explaining his relationship with Banesic and Gomez he
said they were addicts, and that "they"' (presumably Gomez
and himself and some others) from time to time got supplies
for each other. It seems to me that a Court is entitled
to entertain this evidence and consider it in its relevance
to sentencing for the charge in question, but should be
careful not to sentence him for being a regular or constant
supplier, that is to say, for other offences, albeit of
the same nature, for which he has not bcen convicted.
Looking simply at the evidence, he was asked in cross-examin-
ation whether he was a "dealer" in hard drugs, such as
heroin, and he said "yes", but at a later stage, in
response to a further question he said "'To use, support my
habit''. The appellant denied that he ever took any profit
from the small supplics made by him, except that he usually
took or received commission by way of some heroin for his
own use. In relation to the supply in question he said
that he was doing Gomez a favour. The fact that the amount
of heroin was very small, that it was already diluted to
8%, and that no further dilution was attempted suggests
that he, and Gomez, were at the end of the line of supply.
A matter relied upon by the Crown is that on
this occasion the appellant supplied the drugs, without
any assurance that they would be used only by one, or a
few, people known to him. In other words, so the submis-
sion goes, he was supplying for "indiscriminate" use. I
believe that there is evidence which could support such an
inference, but the matter was not put to him directly in
cross-examination, and there 1s no finding of the learned
judge to that effect. Indeed, his Honour seemed to arrive
at a different conclusion:
",,.,there is no evidence of any involvement,
either actual or intended, of any non-drug-
dependant person, eithcr as a consumer or as
a dealer."
I do not think we can go beyond saying that he was procur-
ing a supply for a drug-dependant friend or acquaintance,
without any clear understanding as to how or by whom it
would be used. He himself was an intermittent user, and
an occasional purchaser or vendor of small amounts. In
this way he had acquired "contacts". His Honour expressed
the view that the fact that the supply was to a drug-
dependant person provided no basis For mitigation, but I
would respectfully disagree with the converse of this prop-
osition. It scems to me a much more serious offence to
w
"push" drugs to persons who have not been users, or are not
addicted.
Regarding the personal history of the appellant I
respectfully take the following extract from his Honour's
reasons:
"The accused was born in Yugoslavia in 1951.
His father died when he was five and he came
to Australia with his mother when he was
about 14. He has worked intermittently since
the age of 16 at various jobs of a labouring
type. He married in 1972 and a daughter was
born of this union in 1975. The marriage was
dissolved in 1975.
The daughter is in the custody of the mother
of the accused and the accused is closely
attached to his mother and his daughter.
Since 1979 the accused has lived with a girl
who gave evidence on his behalf and the
parties intend to marry.
The accused has a history of using drugs since
about 1969. This history includes periods of
addiction to heroin. He was so addicted at
the time of the offences. He had previously
taken some steps to free himself from drugs.
He first consulted Sister Moriarty of the
Drug Referral and Information Centre in
September 1978. He has consulted her again
regularly since January 1981. He is not yet
free of his addiction, and on the evidence
has quite a long way to go, notwithstanding a
desire to achieve that aim; just a desire
which I accept is sincere, although his efforts
are much less than totally successful.
Sister Moriarty's evidence, which I accept, is
that he realistically says that he is unable
to give up drugs without assistance. She con-
siders him to be probably a suitable patient
for a methadone programme and she says that
there is reason to think that 1f he undertook
and persisted in such a programme he might
eventually be frec of drugs. The programme
would probably last for two or three years and
would require regular attendance at the
appropriate places for treatment and counsel-
ling.
The accused has a long record of criminal con-
victions from 1970 onwards. The offcnces
include four of larceny, one of robbery in
company, one of assault, two of possession of
cannabis. Not all these offences were related
to drugs. He has twice, before the commission
of the present offences, been released on
recognizance Without sentence. On the charge
of robbery in company he served a term of
imprisonment."
- 17 -
I agree with the learned judge that the
possibility of a methadone programme being effective in the
appellant's case does not justify his release on a bond.
A gaol sentence must be imposed. Whether or not his drug
dependency can be cured or relieved during this time is a
matter for the penal authorities. Unfortunately those
authorities have not achieved much in the past. I am sure
that we are all anxious that adequate and proper treatment
be given. It is strongly in the public interest that this
be done, quite apart from the benefit to the appellant
himself.
The judge took into account the appellant's plea
of guilty (Schumacher v R. (Fox ACJ, Blackburn and Sheppard
JJ, 15 June 1981 unreported) and see R v Ng and Dhalai
fhoted (1978) Crim. LR 176) and reduced the sentence he
would otherwise have imposed. Such a plea was probably
inevitable, although a trial may have given the appellant a
greater opportunity to test police evidence with which he
disagreed. The fact that his Honour considered that a
penalty significantly in excess of five years would have
been appropriate had there not been such a plea does cause
me some concern, and perhaps Icnds weight to the submission
that he was excessively influenced by the prescribed
maximum penalty. At the same time I must say that in this
case J would not myself have reduced the sentence to any
great extent by reason of the plea.
As I have already said, this Court does not on
appeal lightly interfere with a sentence. In particular, it
does not substitute its own view of what is an appropriate
sentence for that of the judge appealed from. In this
case, however, we may have received more evidence than the
judge had regard to. I am of the view that in the whole
of the circumstances the sentence was excessive, and
should be reduced. It seems to me that the judge took the
view that, in the absence of a plea of guilty the appropriate
sentence would have been of the order of 54 to 6 years.
This is more, by an appreciable amount, than is usually
awarded in similar cases. It does not take into account
adequately the very small amount of heroin involved, or that
the appellant was not in possession of the drug for the
purpose of commercial supply. He was, regrettably, drug
dependant himsetf, and what he got out of the transaction
was one shot, which he administered immediately. I belicve
that it is also a matter of mitigation that the particular
crime charged occurred only because the police asked that
the order be placed. The situation is different from one
in which the police, by agents provocatcur or otherwise,
break into an on-going supply system. The police and
other authorities are not in my view to be discouraged in
the least from following either course, but when 1t comes
to sentencing the mitigating effects can be different.
In relation to the conviction under s.4(3) of the
Ordinance, the sentence should in my view he reduced to
four years with a non-parole period of twenty-one months,
both to date from the time of the original gentcence.
s
- 19 -
In relation to the conviction under s.6(2) of
the Ordinance, a sentence of twelve months is in my view
excessive and well out of line with the normal. It should
be reduced to three months, to date from the time of the
original sentence and to run concurrently with the first-
mentioned sentence.
In my view, therefore, the appeal should be
allowed, the sentences should be set aside, and in lieu
thereof the abovementioned sentences substituted.
een
TY certify that this and wie 1%
preceding pu #8 are @ true Ccovy of the
Reasons for Judgment herein of his Honour
Mr. Justice Fer
Associate
Dated: 2 3 DEC 1981 Aeamdra Wedufente
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
No. A.C.T. G28 of 1981
DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISION
ON APPEAL FROM THE SUPRENE COURT OF
THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
BETWEEN: BOZO JURKOVIC
Appellant
AND: THE QUEEN
Respondent
CURA: Fox, Kelly and Ellicott, JJ.
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
KELLY, J
I have had the advantage of reading the reasons for
judgment prepared by Fox, J. I concur in those reasons and in
the result reached by him. I join in the recommendation that
all reasonable steps be taken during the appellant's
imprisonment to overcome or greatly reduce his drug dependency.
er or
CASS Pesce re Se
T certify that this
ere a true copy of the Reasons for Judgement
herein of his Honour Mr, Justice Kealy
Otek $42
Associate
Dated: 2afia (x j
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY No. ACT G 28 of 1981
DISTRICT REGISTRY
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
GENERAL DIVISION
ON APPEAL FROM THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
BOZO JURKOVIC
Appellant
THE QUEEN
Respondent
CORAM: Fox, Kelly and Ellicott JJ.
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
ELLICOTT J:
I agree with Fox J. for the reasons
expressed by him that the sentences imposed on the
appellant in respect of the offences committed were
excessive. I also agree with the substituted sentences
and orders which his Honour proposes.
—— nan aa
I certify that this andthe /5
pecooding recesare a true copy of the
Ressons for Judguent herein of his Honour
G theme.
Asso
iate
ir, Justice Ellicott.
Dated: 2 3 DEC 1981
a
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