R v LEH [2020] NSWCCA 135

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: R v LEH [2020] NSWCCA 135 Hearing dates: 03 April 2020 Decision date: 23 June 2020 Before: McCallum JA at [1]; Johnson J at [57]; Adamson J at [58] Decision: (1) Appeal allowed; (2) Primary judge's ruling excluding the two disputed portions of the pretext call between the respondent and AD on 15 October 2015 from page 37 to page 38 and page 41 set aside. Catchwords: CRIME – appeals – interlocutory appeal – appeal by Director of Public Prosecutions against ruling on evidence – multiple charges of sexual offences – complainant a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder – admissibility of admission by accused during pre-text call made by complainant's mother – limited admission accompanied by exculpatory explanation – whether trial judge applied a wrong principle or mistook the facts – whether exclusion of the evidence substantially weakened the prosecutor's case Legislation Cited: Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW), s 15A(1)(a) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 61J(1), 61M(1), 66F(3), 578A Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5F(3A) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 55, 81(1), 81(2), 90, 137 Cases Cited: House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 IMM v The Queen (2016) 257 CLR 300; [2016] HCA 14 Kadir v The Queen; Grech v The Queen [2020] HCA 1; (2020) 94 ALJR 168 Keen v R [2020] NSWCCA 58 R v Burton [2013] NSWCCA 335; (2013) 237 A Crim R 238 R v Dolding (2018) 100 NSWLR 314; [2018] NSWCCA 127 R v Markuleski (2001) 52 NSWLR 82; [2001] NSWCCA 290 The Queen v Dennis Bauer (a pseudonym) [2018] HCA 40; (2018) 92 ALJR 846 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Regina (Appellant) LEH (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: G Newton (Appellant) T Anderson (Respondent)