Lee v R [2020] NSWCCA 307

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Lee v R [2020] NSWCCA 307 Hearing dates: 24 July 2020 Date of orders: 26 November 2020 Decision date: 26 November 2020 Before: Johnson J at [1] Wright J at [171] Wilson J at [172] Decision: 1. Grant leave to appeal against sentence.

2. Appeal against sentence dismissed. Catchwords: APPEAL – sentence – offence of possession of CITES specimens and regulated live specimens contrary to s.303GN(2) Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) ("EPBC Act") – offence of engaging in conduct in capacity as a Commonwealth public official with the intention of dishonestly gaining a benefit contrary to s.142.2(1)(a)(iii) Criminal Code (Cth) – offence of dealing with money over $10,000 believed to be proceeds of crime contrary to s.400.6(1) Criminal Code (Cth) – further offences under s.303GN(2) EPBC Act and abuse of public office to gain advantage contrary to s.142.2(1)(a)(ii) Criminal Code (Cth) taken into account on sentence – Applicant employed as a Senior Biosecurity Officer by Commonwealth Department of Agriculture and Water Resources – Applicant used information obtained in course of employment to facilitate illegal importation of regulated specimens for sale – whether sentencing Judge erred in failing to consider alternatives to fulltime imprisonment in sentencing Applicant – error not demonstrated – whether sentencing Judge erred in failing to give full effect to "Ellis principle" – error not demonstrated – whether sentencing Judge erred in failing to give discount for Applicant's assistance and offer to assist – error not demonstrated – whether sentencing Judge erred in relying upon Applicant's employment to reduce mitigating factor of prior good character where his employment was already relied upon in proof of an element and had not been obtained for purpose of committing offences – error not demonstrated – whether aggregate sentence was manifestly excessive in all the circumstances – offences of considerable objective gravity – offences committed by public official occupying position of trust within Department administering EPBC Act – importance of general deterrence on sentence where public official uses inside information to abuse position of trust – sentence not manifestly excessive – appeal dismissed Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Criminal Code (Cth) Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) Cases Cited: Atanackovic v R (2015) 45 VR 179; [2015] VSCA 136 Campbell v R [2018] NSWCCA 87 Carr v R [2020] NSWCCA 214 CMB v Attorney General (NSW) (2015) 256 CLR 346; [2015] HCA 9 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v Beattie (2017) 270 A Crim R 556; [2017] NSWCCA 301 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v Ede (2014) 289 FLR 82; [2014] NSWCA 282 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd (2019) 137 ACSR 575; [2019] FCA 1170 Douar v R (2005) 159 A Crim R 154; [2005] NSWCCA 455 Dwayhi v R (2011) 205 A Crim R 274; [2011] NSWCCA 67 Elias v The Queen (2013) 248 CLR 483; [2013] HCA 31 Fedele v R (2016) 257 A Crim R 78; [2015] NSWCCA 286 Johnsson v R [2007] NSWCCA 192 Kannis v R [2020] NSWCCA 79 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Merhi v R [2019] NSWCCA 322 Morgan v R [2007] NSWCCA 8 Munda v State of Western Australia (2013) 249 CLR 600; [2013] HCA 38 Obeid v R (2017) 96 NSWLR 155; [2017] NSWCCA 221 R v Allan; Ex parte Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions [2016] QCA 270 R v Bartels [2018] SASCFC 34 R v Dib [2003] NSWCCA 117 R v Ellis (1986) 6 NSWLR 603 R v Engeln [2014] QCA 313 R v Gallagher (1991) 23 NSWLR 220 R v Gent (2005) 162 A Crim R 29; [2005] NSWCCA 370 R v Gillett [2019] ACTSC 30 R v GLB [2003] NSWCCA 210 R v Huang; R v Siu (2007) 174 A Crim R 370; [2007] NSWCCA 259 R v Kennedy (2019) 101 NSWLR 121; [2019] NSWCCA 242 R v Lamella [2014] NSWCCA 122 R v Lee [2019] NSWDC 888 R v Nikolovska (2010) 209 A Crim R 218; [2010] NSWCCA 169 R v Obeid (No. 12) [2016] NSWSC 1815 R v Perez-Vargas (1986) 8 NSWLR 559 R v Togias (2002) 132 A Crim R 573; [2002] NSWCCA 363 R v Winchester (1992) 58 A Crim R 345 Raad v R (2011) 220 A Crim R 471; [2011] NSWCCA 138 Retsos v R [2006] NSWCCA 85 Ryan v The Queen (2001) 206 CLR 267; [2001] HCA 21 Shambayati v R (1999) 105 A Crim R 373 Warnakulasuriya v R [2009] WASC 257 Younan v R [2012] NSWCCA 155 Texts Cited: --- Category: Principal judgment Parties: Joseph Ian Lee (Applicant) Regina (Crown) Representation: Counsel: Mr KD Ginges (Applicant) Ms S Callan SC (Respondent)