Selkirk v Director of Public Prosecutions [2020] NSWSC 1590

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Selkirk v Director of Public Prosecutions [2020] NSWSC 1590 Hearing dates: 11 June 2020 Date of orders: 11 November 2020 Decision date: 11 November 2020 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Campbell J Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal on Ground 1; (2) Appeal allowed; (3) Set aside each conviction for charges in sequences 29 to 52 in matter no. 2018/00315831, H number 6829324 entered in the Local Court of New South Wales at Sydney Downing Centre on 18 December 2019; (4) Remit the matter to the Local Court sitting at Sydney Downing Centre for re-determination in accordance with this decision. Catchwords: CRIME – appeal and review – appeal from Local Court to Supreme Court – by person convicted or sentenced - with leave on a ground involving a mixed question of fact and law – as of right on a question of law alone CRIME – appeal from Local Court to Supreme Court – competence – where question of meaning of "conviction" – where question is one of fact – where magistrate's conduct was consistent with conviction CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – where plaintiff obtained refund for goods obtained from David Jones by using a false receipt – where magistrate conflated test of dishonesty and deception – where no evidence of financial advantage – where claim of right raised on the evidence and not appropriately dealt with by the magistrate Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) ss 192E, 193C(2), 254(b)(ii) Crimes Act 2014 (Cth) s 19B Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW) ss 10A, 11(2), 12(3), 52, 55 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) s 10 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) s 191 Magistrates Court Act 1930 (ACT) Proceeds of Crimes Act 1987 (Cth) Cases Cited: Astor v Hayes (1988) 38 A Crim R 219 CB v Director of Public Prosecutions [2013] NSWSC 618 Cobiac v Liddy (1969) 119 CLR 257; [1969] HCA 26 Colosimo v DPP [2006] NSWCA 293 DeSilva v The Queen [2019] HCA 48; 94 ALJR 100 Director of Public Prosecutions (Commonwealth) v Helou (2003) 58 NSWLR 574; [2003] NSWCA 301 Downes v Director of Public Prosecutions [2000] NSWSC 1054. Fuge v Regina [2001] NSWCCA 208 Griffiths v The Queen (1977) 137 CLR 293; [1977] HCA 44 JP v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2015] NSWSC 1669 Keys v West (2006) 65 NSWLR 668; [2006] NSWSC 136 Kostas v HIA Insurance Services Pty Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 390; [2010] HCA 32 Krishna v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) (2007) 178 A Crim R 220; [2007] NSWCCA 318 Liberato v the Queen (1985) 159 CLR 507; [1985] HCA 66 Maxwell v The Queen (1996) 184 CLR 501; [1966] HCA 46 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Al-Miahi [2001] FCA 744 Murray v The Queen (2002) 211 CLR 193; [2002] HCA 26 Parkinson v Alexander (2016) 11 ACTLR 190; 58 A Crim R 278 R v JS [2007] NSWCCA 272 R v Kastratovic (1985) 42 SASR 59; 19 A Crim R 28 R v Love (1989) 17 NSWLR 608 R v PL (2009) 199 A Crim R 199; [2009] NSWCCA 256 R v PL (No 2) [2012] NSWCCA 31 R v Pollard [1962] QWN 13 R v Sabbah [2004] NSWCCA 28 R v Salvo [1980] VR 401; (1979) 5 A Crim R 1 R v Sanders (1991) 57 SASR 102 Sayer-Jones v Director of Public Prosecutions (unreported, Supreme Court of NSW, 14 May 2019, Wilson J) Williams v the Queen (1986) 161 CLR 278; [1986] HCA 88 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Simone Selkirk (Plaintiff) Director of Public Prosecutions (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: J. Stratton SC with T. Hennessy (Plaintiff) J.E. Davidson (Defendant)