Edwards v R [2022] NSWCCA 22

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Edwards v R [2022] NSWCCA 22 Hearing dates: 20 October 2021 Date of orders: 14 February 2022 Decision date: 14 February 2022 Before: Bathurst CJ at [1]; Rothman J at [7]; Dhanji J at [8]. Decision: Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against conviction — Where applicant convicted of murder — Where alternative verdict of manslaughter left to jury —Circumstantial case CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against conviction — Directions to jury regarding use of evidence of lies and post offence conduct — Inference of consciousness of guilt — No miscarriage as evidence was not intractably neutral as between murder and manslaughter — No miscarriage as not seeking the direction was objectively justifiable as a rational forensic decision CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against conviction — Miscarriage of justice — Directions to jury regarding reasonable hypotheses consistent with manslaughter — No miscarriage of justice as there was no need to explain further hypotheses CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against conviction — Unreasonable verdict — Evidence supported the view that the applicant acted with intent to inflict at least really serious injury — Verdict of guilty supported on the whole of the evidence Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 18(1)(a) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), ss 5, 6 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 20 Supreme Court (Criminal Appeal) Rules 2021 (NSW), r 4.15 Cases Cited: ARS v R [2011] NSWCCA 266 Darwiche v R [2011] NSWCCA 62 Dickson v R (2017) 94 NSWLR 476; [2017] NSWCCA 78 Doggett v The Queen (2001) 208 CLR 343; [2001] HCA 46 Gilbert v The Queen (2000) 201 CLR 414; [2000] HCA 15 Gillard v The Queen (2003) 219 CLR 1; [2003] HCA 64 Greenhalgh v R [2017] NSWCCA 94 King v The Queen (2012) 245 CLR 588; [2012] HCA 24 La Fontaine v The Queen (1976) 136 CLR 62; [1976] HCA 52 M v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 487; [1994] HCA 63 Meakin v R [2018] NSWCCA 288 Mraz v The Queen (1955) 93 CLR 493; [1955] HCA 59 Mulvihill v R [2016] NSWCCA 259 Nudd v The Queen (2006) 80 ALJR 614; [2006] HCA 9 Orreal v The Queen (2021) 96 ALJR 78; [2021] HCA 44 Papakosmas v The Queen (1999) 196 CLR 297; [1999] HCA 37 Pell v The Queen (2020) 268 CLR 123; [2020] HCA 12 R v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308; [2016] HCA 35 R v Birks (1990) 19 NSWLR 677 R v Ciantar (2006) 16 VR 26; [2006] VSCA 263 R v Fuge (2001) 123 A Crim R 310; [2001] NSWCCA 208 R v ITA (2003) 139 A Crim R 340; [2003] NSWCCA 174 R v Miah [2003] EWCA Crim 3713 R v Sievers (2004) 151 A Crim R 426; [2004] NSWCCA 463 R v Tillot (1991) 53 A Crim R 46 R v Trebeck [2018] QCA 183 Rogerson v R (1992) 65 A Crim R 530 Sheen v R (2011) 215 A Crim R 208; [2011] NSWCCA 259 Steer v R (2008) 191 A Crim R 435; [2008] NSWCCA 295 Suresh v The Queen (1998) 72 ALJR 769; [1998] HCA 23 TKWJ v The Queen (2002) 212 CLR 124; [2002] HCA 46 Weissensteiner v The Queen (1993) 178 CLR 217; [1993] HCA 65 Category: Principal judgment Parties: John Wallace Edwards (Applicant) Regina (Crown) Representation: Counsel: M Higgins, S Lawrence, L Opper (Applicant) B Hatfield (Crown)