R v DB [2021] NSWDC 213

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v DB [2021] NSWDC 213 Hearing dates: 26 to 30 April 2021 Date of orders: 25 May 2021 Decision date: 25 May 2021 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Weinstein SC DCJ Decision: I find the accused not guilty of all counts Catchwords: Crime – Sexual offence – Indecent assault – Mental health impairment – Voluntariness – Criminal responsibility – Automatism – Sexsomnia Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 Evidence Act 1995 Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020 Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990 Cases Cited: Bratty v Attorney-General for Northern Ireland [1963] AC 386 Cvetkovic v R [2010] NSWCCA 329 Fleming v The Queen [1998] HCA 68, (1998) 197 CLR 250 Hawkins v The Queen (1994) 179 CLR 500 R v Chhay (1994) 72 A Crim R 1 R v Falconer (1990) 171 CLR 30 R v Milloy (1991) 54 A Crim R 340 R v Minari (2005) NSWCCA 226 R v Parks (1992) 75 CCC (3d) 287 R v Rabey (1977) 37 CCC (2d) 461 R v Stone (1999) 134 CCC (3d) 333 The Queen v Cottle [1958] NZLR 999 The Queen v Luedecke (2008) 93 O.R (3d) 89 Texts Cited: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th ed Forensic Evaluation of Sexsomnia (2021) Antonio Fernando et al., Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 49(2),1 Forensic Provisions Act Amendments (2021) Anina Johnson (Autumn) Bar News Introducing the New Mental health and cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020 (2021) Justice Mark Ierase 33(2) Judicial Officer's Bulletin Second Reading Speech of Attorney-General Mark Speakman on Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020 (NSW) - 3 June 2020 Sexsomnia – a New Parasomnia (2003) Colin Shapiro et al., Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 48(5), 311 Sexsomnia: Sleep Sex Research and its legal Implications (2015) Alexandria Organ and Paul Fedoroff, Current Psychiatry Report17(5), 34 The Reality of Sexsomnia (2016) Muza Rexford et al., Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine 22(6), 576 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Regina (Crown) DB Representation: (Crown) Mr M Paish (Defence) Mr P Strickland SC, Ms G Lewer (Defence) Ms Espiner (Younes + Espiner Lawyers) File Number(s): 2019/345129 Publication restriction: N/A