R v Mackenzie Dingwall [2022] NSWDC 87

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Mackenzie Dingwall [2022] NSWDC 87 Hearing dates: 10 February 2022 Date of orders: 14 March 2022 Decision date: 14 March 2022 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Hatzistergos DCJ Decision: See [107] Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW –– Border controlled drugs – Attempting to possess marketable quantity of ketamine – Purity of ketamine considered to be 79% – Drug considered to be 258 times the threshold for marketable quantity of ketamine – Absence of sophistication – Offender's role to collect and transport the drugs on the instructions of another for reward –Absence of actual knowledge of drug type and quantity – Offender's position in the drug hierarchy found to be at the lower end SENTENCE –– Offending did not involve a course of conduct and (since a controlled operation was involved) did not cause any actual injury, loss or damage – Evidence linking the offender's mental health at the time of the offence to his decision making – Impact on mental health found not to be limited to impulsive decision making – Offending found within the lower range of objective seriousness SENTENCE –– Contrition established – Guilty plea taken into account – Cooperation with law enforcement authorities – Offender successfully taken steps to address long standing use of illicit substances – Good prospects of rehabilitation and a low likelihood of reoffending subject to continuing treatment – Reduced need for general and specific deterrence – Intensive correction order not available – Consideration of whether a recognizance release order enabling release forthwith meets legislative requirements – Consideration of impact of incarceration on rehabilitation and mental health. Legislation Cited: Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) ss 11.1, 307.6 Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) ss 16A, 17A Cases Cited: El Jamal v R [2021] NSWCCA 105 El-Ghourani v R [2009] NSWCCA 140 Wong v The Queen (2001) 207 CLR 584 R v MacDonnell (2002) 128 A Crim R 44 R v Stanbouli (2003) 141 A Crim R 531 DPP (Cth) v De La Rosa (2010) 79 NSWLR 1 R v Qutami [2001] NSWCCA 353 R v Nguyen (2010) A Crim R 106 Henry v R (1999) 46 NSWLR 346 Perrin v R [2021] NSWDC 408 Chenhall v R [2021] VSCA 175 R v Diez [2020] NSWDC 351 Thorn v R (2009) 198 A Crim R 135 R v Stafford [2007] NSWCCA 73 R v Shi [2014] NSWCCA 135 R v Oprea [2009] QCA 184 R v Le Cerf (1975) 13 SASR 237 Laurentiu & Becheru v R (1992) 63 A Crim R 402 Omorogbe v R [2013] NSWCCA 201 Eriyo v R [2015] NSWCCA16 R v Ajera [2015] QCA 56R v Pink [2021] NSWDC 47 R v O'Brien (2021) NSWDC 504 R v Sagnelli [2020] ACTSC 348 R v Udeh [2017] NSWDC 401 De Hollander v The Queen [2012] WASCA 127 Larkin v The Queen [2012] WASCA 238 R v Zamagias [2002] NSWCCA 17 Yardley and Betts (1979) 22 SASR 108 R v Blackman and Walters [2001] NSWCCA 121 R v Saleh [2015] NSWCCA 299 R v Nahilous [2013] NSWCCA 90 Zaky v R [2015] NSWCCA 161 Lam v R [2014] WASCA 114 Category: Sentence Parties: Regina (the Crown) Mackenzie Dingwall (the Offender) Representation: Counsel: Ms S Short (the Crown) Mr M Thangaraj SC with Ms C Nguyen (the Offender)