R v Meers [2021] NSWDC 352

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Meers [2021] NSWDC 352 Hearing dates: 12 February 2021; 25 March 2021; 30 March 2021 Date of orders: 30 March 2021 Decision date: 30 March 2021 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: M L Williams SC DCJ Decision: An aggregate term of imprisonment of four years and nine months, with a non-parole period of two years and six months: at [51]. Catchwords: CRIME — Driving offences — Dangerous driving occasioning death SENTENCING — Aggravating factors — Breach of conditional liberty — Substantial harm, injury, loss or damage SENTENCING — Mitigating factors — Plea of guilty — Remorse SENTENCING — Penalties — Imprisonment SENTENCING — Relevant factors on sentence — Character of offence — Circumstances of offence — Deterrence — General principles — Moral culpability — Objective seriousness — Purposes of sentencing SENTENCING — Subjective considerations on sentence — Aboriginal offenders — Drug addiction — Mental illness — Special circumstances Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Road Transport Act 2013 Cases Cited: Bugmy v The Queen (2013) 249 CLR 571 R v El-Seidi [2020] NSWDC 375 R v Errington (2005) 157 A Crim R 553 R v Jurisic (1998) 45 NSWLR 209 R v Manok [2017] NSWCCA 232 R v Musumeci (unreported, NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, CJ at CL Hunt, 30 October 1997) R v Pullen [2018] NSWCCA 264 R v Qutami (2001) 127 A Crim R 369 R v Whyte [2002] NSWCCA 343 Category: Sentence Parties: Regina (Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions)