Hawkesbury City Council v Saed [2022] NSWLEC 34

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Hawkesbury City Council v Saed [2022] NSWLEC 34 Hearing dates: 10 March 2022 Date of orders: 01 April 2022 Decision date: 01 April 2022 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pepper J Decision: See orders at [111]. Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCE – removal of trees –charge of development without consent – guilty plea – sentencing principles – substantial actual and likely environmental harm caused by the commission of the offence – state of the mind of the defendant at the time of the commission of the offence – whether defendant was criminally negligent – objective seriousness of the commission of the offence moderate to low – no prior convictions – genuine remorse and contrition demonstrated – specific and general deterrence warranted – insufficient evidence of claimed impecuniosity – comparable cases – fine imposed – costs ordered. Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, ss 3A, 21A, 22, 23 Criminal Procedure Act 1986, ss 257B, 257G Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, ss 1.3, 4.2, 4.58, 9.23, 9.52(3), 9.53(1), 9.56(2A), 9.56(3) Fines Act 1996, s 6 Hawkesbury Development Control Plan 2002 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, s 156A(1) State Environmental Planning Policy (Koala Habitat Protection) 2020, Sch 2 State Environmental Planning Policy (Vegetation in Non-Rural Areas) 2017, cll 3, 7, 9 Cases Cited: Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Bega Valley Shire Council v Williams [2018] NSWLEC 124 Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 34; (2006) 145 LGERA 234 Burwood Council v Mehedin Abdul-Rahman [2021] NSWLEC 46 Cabonne Shire Council v Environment Protection Authority [2001] NSWCCA 280; (2001) 115 LGERA 304 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Chief Executive, Office of Environment & Heritage v Orica Pty Ltd; Environment Protection Authority v Orica Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 109 Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Douglas Brian Reitano (No 2) [2019] NSWLEC 39 City of Parramatta Council v Sydney Trees Excavation and Demolition Pty Ltd [2021] NSWLEC 71 Council of Camden v Poyntz [2007] NSWLEC 439 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae [2009] NSWLEC 137; (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Elias v The Queen [2013] HCA 31; (2013) 248 CLR 483 Environment Protection Authority v Albiston [2020] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Ballina Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 289; (2006) 148 LGERA 278 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Causmag Ore Company Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 58 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation [2006] NSWLEC 419; (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Georges River Council v WK Strong Pty Ltd; Georges River Council v Awada [2019] NSWLEC 97 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 242; (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Gore v The Queen [2010] NSWCCA 330; (2010) 208 A Crim R 353 Harris v Harrison [2014] NSWCCA 84; (2014) 86 NSWLR 422 Hoare v The Queen [1989] HCA 33; (1989) 167 CLR 348 Hunters Hill Council v Carter [2018] NSWLEC 84 Hunters Hill Council v Gary Johnston [2013] NSWLEC 89 Hunters Hill Council v Liu [2018] NSWLEC 108 Ku-ring-gai Council v Chia (No 10) [2019] NSWLEC 184 Ku-ring-gai Council v Edgar [2017] NSWLEC 49 Le v R [2019] NSWCCA 181 Liverpool City Council v Leppington Pastoral Co Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 170 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Muldrock v The Queen [2011] HCA 39; (2011) 244 CLR 120 Pittwater Council v Scahill [2009] NSWLEC 12; (2009) 165 LGERA 289 Plath v Rawson [2009] NSWLEC 178; (2009) 170 LGERA 253 R v Crombie [1999] NSWCCA 297 R v Doan [2000] NSWCCA 317; (2000) 50 NSWLR 115 R v Dodd (1991) 57 A Crim R 349 R v Nichols (1991) 57 A Crim R 391 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Oliver (1980) 7 A Crim R 174 R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Visconti [1982] 2 NSWLR 104 R v Wickham [2004] NSWCCA 193 Veen v The Queen [1979] HCA 7; (1979) 143 CLR 458 Veen v The Queen (No 2) [1988] HCA 1; (1988) 164 CLR 465 Walden v Hensler [1987] HCA 54; (1987) 163 CLR 561 Willoughby City Council v Rahmani [2017] NSWLEC 166 Category: Sentence Parties: Hawkesbury City Council (Prosecutor) Hadi Saed (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Dr J Smith (Prosecutor) A Patterson (Defendant)