Environment Protection Authority v Afram [2022] NSWLEC 38

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Afram [2022] NSWLEC 38 Hearing dates: 10 February 2022 Date of orders: 13 April 2022 Decision date: 13 April 2022 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pain J Decision: See [165] Catchwords: SENTENCING – pleas of guilty to three offences of supply of misleading information in a material respect about waste in the course of dealing with waste – defendant already sentenced for overlapping fraud offence under Crimes Act – potential for significant environmental harm as asbestos waste delivered to rural property – early plea of guilty – limited other mitigating circumstances SENTENCING – plea of guilty to land pollution offence – deposition of asbestos and other waste on rural property unbeknownst to land holder who expected clean fill to be supplied – actual harm to the environment caused – potential for significant environmental harm – early guilty plea – limited other mitigating circumstances Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 3A, 21A, 22, 23 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 192E Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), ss 257B, 257G Fines Act 1996 (NSW), ss 6, 122 Protection of the Environment Amendment Act 2005 (NSW) Protection of the Environment Operations (General) Regulation 2009 (NSW) (repealed), cl 109 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW), ss 3, 142A, 144AA, 241, 248, 250, Sch 1, Dictionary Protection of the Environment Operations Amendment (Illegal Waste Disposal) Act 2013 (NSW) Cases Cited: Bankstown City Council v Hanna (2014) 205 LGERA 39; [2014] NSWLEC 152 Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Limited (2006) 145 LGERA 234; [2006] NSWLEC 34 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Chief Executive Office of Environment and Heritage v Somerville (No 2) [2021] NSWLEC 78 Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae (2009) 168 LGERA 121; [2009] NSWLEC 137 DPP (Cth) v De La Rosa (2010) 79 NSWLR 1; [2010] NSWCCA 194 Environment Protection Authority v Aargus Pty Ltd; Kariotoglu; Kelly [2013] NSWLEC 19 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Complete Asbestos Removal Pty Ltd (2016) 221 LGERA 24; [2016] NSWLEC 167 Environment Protection Authority v Elf Farm Supplies Pty Ltd [2017] NSWLEC 60 Environment Protection Authority v Grafil Pty Ltd; Environment Protection Authority v Mackenzie (2019) 101 NSWLR 245; [2019] NSWCCA 174 Environment Protection Authority v Grafil Pty Ltd; Environment Protection Authority v Mackenzie (No 4) [2021] NSWLEC 123 Environment Protection Authority v Hanna (2018) 235 LGERA 114; [2018] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Hughes [2019] NSWLEC 108 Environment Protection Authority v Laison [2018] NSWLEC 76 Environment Protection Authority v Mouawad (No 2); Environment Protection Authority v Aussie Earthmovers Pty Ltd (No 3) (2020) 247 LGERA 23; [2020] NSWLEC 166 Environment Protection Authority v Sam Abbas (also known as Osama Abbas) [2021] NSWLEC 57 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2019] NSWLEC 100 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation (2006) 148 LGERA 299; [2006] NSWLEC 419 Environment Protection Authority v Wattke; Environment Protection Authority v Geerdink [2010] NSWLEC 24 Environment Protection Authority v Wollondilly Abattoirs Pty Ltd & Davis [2019] NSWCCA 312 Garrett v Freeman (No 5) (2009) 164 LGERA 287; [2009] NSWLEC 1 Garrett v Williams (2006) 160 LGERA 115; [2006] NSWLEC 785 Georgopolous v R [2010] NSWCCA 246 Hanna v Environment Protection Authority (2019) 280 A Crim R 575; [2019] NSWCCA 299 Hewitt v R (2007) 180 A Crim R 306; [2007] NSWCCA 353 Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Hoare v The Queen (1989) 167 CLR 348; [1989] HCA 33 Hurstville City Council v Romanous Construction Pty Ltd; Hurstville City Council v Romanous Contractors Pty Ltd [2016] NSWLEC 24 Kirby v R [2021] NSWCCA 162 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Mill v The Queen (1988) 166 CLR 59; [1988] HCA 70 Muldrock v The Queen (2011) 244 CLR 120; [2011] HCA 39 Mun v R [2015] NSWCCA 234 NCR Australia Pty Ltd v Credit Connection Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 1118 Pearce v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 610; [1998] HCA 57 Pfeiffer v R [2009] NSWCCA 145 Postiglione v The Queen (1997) 189 CLR 295; [1997] HCA 26 R v Anderson (1980) 2 A Crim R 379; [1981] VR 155 R v Badanjak [2004] NSWCCA 395 R v Dennison [2011] NSWCCA 114 R v Edwards (1996) 90 A Crim R 510 R v Israil [2002] NSWCCA 255 R v Kennedy [2000] NSWCCA 527 R v Leroy [1984] 2 NSWLR 441 R v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 R v Peel [1971] 1 NSWLR 247 R v Smith (1987) 44 SASR 587 R v Thomson and Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; [2000] NSWCCA 309 R v Visconti [1982] 2 NSWLR 104 Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment v AGL Energy Limited; Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment v AGL Upstream Infrastructure investments Pty Limited [2017] NSWLEC 2 Secretary, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment v Wollongong Recycling (NSW) Pty Ltd (2020) 245 LGERA 241; [2020] NSWLEC 125 Skelton v R [2015] NSWCCA 320 The Queen v De Simoni (1981) 147 CLR 383; [1981] HCA 31 Veen v The Queen (1979) 143 CLR 458; [1979] HCA 7 Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465; [1988] HCA 14 Texts Cited: T Walsh, H Douglas, "Sentencing Parents: The Consideration of Dependent Children" (2016) 37(1) Adelaide Law Review 135 New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 30 May 2013 New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 13 September 2005 Judicial Commission of NSW, Sentencing Bench Book (as at June 2021) The Laws of Australia, vol 12, Criminal Sentencing (online as at 7 March 2022) Category: Sentence Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Fayed Afram a.k.a Fred Fram and Faid Fram (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: H El-Hage (Prosecutor) S Young (Defendant)