R v Inia [2019] NSWDC 927

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Inia [2019] NSWDC 927 Hearing dates: 14 June 2019 Decision date: 21 June 2019 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Norrish QC DCJ Decision: Sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 2 years 9 months. At the expiration of 10 months of the sentence, offender to be released upon entering a recognizance of $200 for 3 years and be supervised by Community Corrections. Offender to make reparation to Commonwealth the sum of $224,246.80 Catchwords: CRIME – Commonwealth – sentence – obtain financial advantage by deception – fraudulent claims against Medicare - multiple offences over 6 years – pre-meditated planning, deception and fraud – appropriate severity of sentence – consistency in sentencing – special circumstances – some degree of disadvantaged background – committed offences to fund day to day living expenses not a lavish lifestyle – good prospects of rehabilitation – dependency of 3rd parties – incomplete reparation Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) Cases Cited: Bugmy v R (2013) 249 CLR 571; [2013] HCA 37 Cameron v R [2017] NSWCCA 229 Carr v R [2003] NSWCCA 175 Dagher v R [2017] NSWCCA 258 DPP (Cth) v De La Rosa (2010) 79 NSWLR 1; [2010] NSWCCA 194 Hili and Jones v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Munda v Western Australia (2013) 249 CLR 600; [2013] HCA 38 R v Girard [2004] NSWCCA 170. R v Hawkins (1989) 45 A Crim R 430 R v Herrera (unreported) NSWCCA 6 June 1997 R v Pipes [2004] NSWCCA 351 Sutherland (unpublished) NSWDC 28 March 2013 Xiao v R (2018) 96 NSWLR 1; [2018] NSWCCA 4 Category: Sentence Parties: Regina (Crown) Ms Talaiha Inia (offender) Representation: Counsel: Mr A Edwards (DPP (Cth)) Ms S Orman-Hales (offender) File Number(s): 2016/00228869 Publication restriction: No