R v AB [2022] NSWCCA 3

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: R v AB [2022] NSWCCA 3 Hearing dates: 27 August 2021 Date of orders: 1 February 2022 Decision date: 01 February 2022 Before: Meagher JA; Wright J; Fagan J Decision: Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – Crown appeal against sentence – manifest inadequacy – where respondent pleaded guilty to sexual offences against 14 year old boy – where respondent a victim of childhood sexual abuse – where unchallenged medical evidence indicated causal link between childhood abuse and offending – where respondent sentenced without proceeding to conviction – whether unreasonable or plainly unjust for sentencing judge not to have recorded convictions – whether sentence unreasonable for not reflecting objective seriousness of offending and need for general deterrence, denunciation and recognition of harm to victim Legislation Cited: Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW), s 15A(1)(a) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), s 10 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 61O(2A), 66C(3), 91G(2)(a), 578A(2) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5D Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) Cases Cited: Cobiac v Liddy (1969) 119 CLR 257; [1969] HCA 26 EG v R [2015] NSWCCA 21 Elias v The Queen (2013) 248 CLR 483; [2013] HCA 31 Hoffenberg v District Court of New South Wales [2010] NSWCA 142 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 R v Ingrassia (1997) 41 NSWLR 447 R v Le [2019] NSWSC 633 R v Mauger [2012] NSWCCA 51 R v McInerney (1986) 42 SASR 111; (1986) 28 A Crim R 318 R v ZB [2021] QCA 9; (2021) 287 A Crim R 519 Re Attorney General's Application under Section 37 (No. 3 of 2002) (NSW) (2004) 61 NSWLR 305; [2004] NSWCCA 303 Walden v Hensler (1987) 163 CLR 561; [1987] HCA 54 Wong v The Queen (2001) 207 CLR 584; [2001] HCA 64 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Regina (Appellant) AB (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: C Young (Appellant) A Francis (Respondent)