Kwan v R; Kwok v R [2020] NSWCCA 313

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Kwan v R; Kwok v R [2020] NSWCCA 313 Hearing dates: 9 November 2020 Date of orders: 2 December 2020 Decision date: 02 December 2020 Before: Meagher JA at [1]; Walton J at [2]; Beech-Jones J at [64] Decision: (1) Pursuant to Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 10(1)(b), extend the time for each of the applicants to seek leave to appeal. (2) Grant leave to each of the applicants to appeal against sentence. (3) The sentences imposed upon Chun Yu Kwan and Kai Wing Kwok in the District Court of New South Wales on 1 May 2014 are quashed. (4) In their place, Mr Kwan and Mr Kwok are each sentenced to a term of imprisonment comprising of a non-parole period of 10 years commencing on 16 May 2013 and expiring on 15 May 2023, with a balance of term 6 years commencing on 16 May 2023 and concluding on 15 May 2029. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – sentence appeal – co-offender – offence of attempting to possess commercial quantity of border controlled substance, namely methamphetamine contrary to ss 307.5(1) and 11.1(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) – utilitarian value of plea – Xiao error established – applicants' roles not relevantly different – objective gravity – applicants' subjective features not strong – applicants resentenced – lesser sentence imposed Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) Cases Cited: Bae v R [2020] NSWCCA 35 Baladjan v R [2018] NSWCCA 304 Chan, Lo and Nguyen v R [2010] NSWCCA 153 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v Peng [2014] VSCA 128 DL v The Queen (2018) 265 CLR 215; [2018] HCA 32 DPP (Cth) v De La Rosa (2010) 79 NSWLR 1; [2010] NSWCCA 194 E/ Ghourani v R [2009] NSWCCA 140; (2009) 195 A Crim R 208 Hijazi v R [2020] NSWCCA 97 Huang v R (2018) 96 NSWLR 743; [2018] NSWCCA 57 Huang v R (2018) 332 FLR 158; [2018] NSWCCA 70 Kentwell v The Queen (2014) 252 CLR 601; [2014] HCA 37 Lehn v R (2016) 78 MVR 353; [2016] NSWCCA 255 Mulato v R [2006] NSWCCA 282 O'Neile v R [2018] NSWCCA 291 R v Borkowski (2009) 195 A Crim R 1; [2009] NSWCCA 102 R v Nguyen; R v Pham [2010] NSWCCA 238 R v Pham; Ex parte Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) [2017] QCA 46 Xiao v R (2018) 96 NSWLR 1; [2018] NSWCCA 4 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Chun Yu Kwan (First Applicant) Kai Wing Kwok (Second Applicant) Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S Talbert (Applicants) L Fernandez (Respondent)