Pearce v R [2022] NSWCCA 68

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Pearce v R [2022] NSWCCA 68 Hearing dates: 1 February 2022 Date of orders: 1 April 2022 Decision date: 01 April 2022 Before: Beech-Jones CJ at CL at [1]; Harrison J at [2]; Fagan J at [3] Decision: (1) Extend time for the filing of the application for leave to appeal sufficient to allow the application to proceed on its merits; (2) Grant leave to appeal; (3) In lieu of the period of automatic disqualification prescribed under s 205(2)(d)(i) of the Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW), order pursuant s 205(2)(d)(ii) of that Act that the applicant is disqualified from holding a driver licence for a period of 1 year and 4 months, commencing on 23 December 2020 and expiring on 22 April 2022; and (4) Otherwise dismiss the appeal. Catchwords: CRIME — appeals — appeal against sentence — aggravated dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm — victim suffered a severe brain injury — where vehicle was travelling in excess of 200km/h with unrestrained passenger — where offending assessed as being "well above the mid-range" — whether the sentencing judge erred in assessment of objective seriousness — no error — whether the sentencing judge erred in the assessment of impact on the victim — limited evidence put before the sentencing judge — no error — term of imprisonment not manifestly excessive — automatic disqualification — failure to exercise jurisdiction with respect to variation of automatic period Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 (NSW) Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW) Cases Cited: Application by the Attorney General (No. 3 of 2002) [2004] NSWCCA 303 Brooks v R [2009] NSWCCA 265 Daniels v R [2016] NSWCCA 35 Dinsdale v The Queen (2000) 202 CLR 321; [2000] HCA 54 Elyard v R [2006] NSWCCA 43 Lawson v R [2018] NSWCCA 215 Lehn v R (2016) 93 NSWLR 205; [2016] NSWCCA 255 McGonigle v R [2020] NSWCCA 84 Obeid v R (2017) 96 NSWLR 155; [2017] NSWCCA 221 Priovolidis v R [2016] NSWCCA 201 R v Daetz; R v Wilson [2003] NSWCCA 216; (2003) 139 A Crim R 398 R v Jurisic (1998) 45 NSWLR 209 R v Tuhakaraina [2016] NSWCCA 81 R v Whyte (2002) 55 NSWLR 252; [2002] NSWCCA 343 Reddy v R [2018] NSWCCA 212 Ul-Hassan v R [2018] NSWCCA 177 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Aaron Pearce - applicant Regina - respondent Representation: Counsel: T Hammond - applicant M Millward - respondent