Fisher v R; R v Fisher [2021] NSWCCA 91

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Fisher v R; R v Fisher [2021] NSWCCA 91 Hearing dates: 12 March 2021 Decision date: 07 May 2021 Before: Brereton JA at [1]; Fullerton J at [62]; Adamson J at [91] Decision: Fisher v R (1) Grant leave to the applicant to appeal against his conviction. (2) Dismiss the appeal. R v Fisher (1) Allow the appeal. (2) Set aside the sentence imposed by Craigie SC DCJ on 19 November 2020 and, in lieu thereof, sentence the respondent, Matthew Fisher, to a term of imprisonment of 5 years commencing on 7 May 2021 and expiring on 6 May 2026 with a non-parole period of 3 years' imprisonment and a balance of term of 2 years. (3) The first day on which the respondent will be eligible for release to parole will be 6 May 2024. Catchwords: CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against conviction — Inconsistency between verdicts on different counts — Two distinct acts of intercourse — Different assessment of the circumstances affecting the applicant's state of mind at the time of the second act of intercourse — Applicant argued unreasonable verdict — Open to the jury to return a verdict of guilty on one count albeit not agreeing on the other count CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against sentence — By Crown — Alleged error in taking into account the applicant's self-induced intoxication in mitigation — Using self-induced intoxication to "explain" the applicant's conduct — Review of the sentencing judge's assessment of the facts and objective seriousness — Alleged manifest inadequacy — Court to consider all circumstances that inform the sentencing exercise, except the applicant's self-induced intoxication — Residual discretion to decline to intervene ought not be exercised CRIME — Appeals — Re-sentence — Purposes of sentencing in section 3A of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) — Aggravating and mitigating factors Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), Pt 11A, ss 61HA, 61I, 428B, 428D Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5D Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Assault and Intoxication) Act 2014 (NSW) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 3A, 5, 17C, 21A, 67, 89 Cases Cited: AB v R [2014] NSWCCA 339 BA v R [2015] NSWCCA 189 BP v The Queen [2010] NSWCCA 159; (2010) 201 A Crim R 379 Cheung v The Queen (2001) 209 CLR 1; [2001] HCA 67 CMB v Attorney-General for New South Wales (2015) 256 CLR 346; [2015] HCA 9 Crofts v R [2018] VSCA 197 Daaboul v R (2019) 100 NSWLR 682; [2019] NSWCCA 191 Day v R [2017] NSWCCA 192 Dinsdale v The Queen (2000) 202 CLR 321; [2000] HCA 54 Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) v Burton [2020] NSWCCA 54 Green v The Queen (1971) 126 CLR 28; [1971] HCA 55 Griffiths v The Queen (1977) 137 CLR 293; [1977] HCA 44 Hili v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Kentwell v The Queen (2014) 252 CLR 601; [2014] HCA 37 M v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 487; [1994] HCA 63 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 MFA v The Queen (2002) 213 CLR 606; [2002] HCA 53 Mulato v R [2006] NSWCCA 282 Munda v State of Western Australia (2013) 249 CLR 600; [2013] HCA 38 Nguyen v R [2021] NSWCCA 85 R v AJP (2004) 150 A Crim R 575; [2004] NSWCCA 434 R v Alcazar [2017] NSWCCA 51 R v Barker [2016] NSWCCA 193; (2016) 77 MVR 448 R v Chandler (2019) 101 NSWLR 208; [2019] NSWCCA 250 R v Harris [2015] NSWCCA 81; (2015) 70 MVR 412 R v Isaacs (1997) 41 NSWLR 374 R v Loveridge [2014] NSWCCA 120; (2014) 243 A Crim R 31 R v MS [2005] NSWCCA 322 R v Ngyuen [2013] NSWCCA 195 R v PGM (2008) 187 A Crim R 152; [2008] NSWCCA 172 SKA v The Queen (2011) 243 CLR 400; [2011] HCA 13 Tepania v R [2018] NSWCCA 247; (2018) 275 A Crim R 233 The Queen v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308; [2016] HCA 35 The Queen v De Simoni (1981) 147 CLR 383; [1981] HCA 31 The Queen v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 TK v R (2009) 74 NSWLR 299; [2009] NSWCCA 151 Texts Cited: New South Wales Legislative Council, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 7 November 2007 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Matthew Patrick Fisher (Applicant / Respondent) Regina Representation: Counsel: A Bellanto QC / T Bicanic (Applicant/ Respondent) M A Kumar (Crown)