Moananu v R [2022] NSWCCA 85

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Moananu v R [2022] NSWCCA 85 Hearing dates: 20 September 2021 Date of orders: 22 April 2022 Decision date: 22 April 2022 Before: Leeming JA at [1]; Price J at [31]; Hamill J at [55] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal granted. (2) Appeal allowed. (3) Quash the sentence imposed in the District Court on 5 November 2020 and in lieu thereof: (i) The applicant is sentenced to an aggregate sentence of 12½ years commencing on 29 September 2018 and expiring on 28 March 2031. (ii) There will be a non-parole period of 8 years and 4 months commencing on 29 September 2018 and expiring on 28 January 2027. (iii) The applicant will first be eligible for release to parole at the expiration of the non-parole period. (4) Confirm the order for disqualification from driving made by the District Court. Catchwords: CRIME – sentencing – appeal against sentence – two counts of vehicular manslaughter – additional count of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm – two people killed – offender heavily intoxicated – whether sentencing Judge erred in finding facts – whether Judge failed to afford procedural fairness – finding that offender always intended to drive away from hotel – thoughtful and comprehensive sentencing judgment – no patent error established – no denial of procedural fairness CRIME – sentencing – whether sentence manifestly excessive – tragic case – offending approaching but not within the worst category of case – survey of comparable cases – totality – aggregate sentence – where individual indicative sentences high but within range – totality and notional accumulation – (by majority) aggregate sentence held to be excessive – appeal allowed – applicant re-sentenced Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 18, 51B(1), 52(4), 52A(2), 52A(4) Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW), s 68A Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 21A(2), 25D(2), 32, 53A(2)(b) Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), s 166 Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW), s 108 Cases Cited: Burgess v R [2019] NSWCCA 13 Byrne v R; Cahill v R [2021] NSWCCA 185; (2021) 97 MVR 85 Cahyadi v Regina [2007] NSWCCA 1; (2007) 168 A Crim R 41 Chartres-Abbott v R [2021] NSWCCA 239 Crowley v R [2021] NSWCCA 45 Day v R [2014] NSWCCA 333; 69 MVR 103 Dinsdale v The Queen (2002) 202 CLR 321; [2000] HCA 54 DPP v Abdulrahman [2021] NSWCCA 114; (2021) 96 MVR 309 Duncan v R [2012] NSWCCA 78 Elsaj v R [2017] NSWCCA 124 Glare v R [2015] NSWCCA 194 Gonzalez v R [2006] NSWCCA 4 Hilli v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 House v R (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Hughes v R [2018] NSWCCA 2 Ibbotson (a pseudonym) v R [2020] NSWCCA 92 Jackson v R [2021] NSWCCA 15 JM v R [2014] NSWCCA 297; (2014) 246 A Crim R 528 Kaminic v R [2014] NSWCCA 116 Kerr v R [2016] NSWCCA 218; (2016) 78 MVR 191 Lawler v R [2007] NSWCCA 85; 169 A Crim R 415 Markarian v The Queen (2006) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Moodie v R [2020] NSWCCA 160; (2020) A Crim R 87 Mulato v R [2006] NSWCCA 282 Nealon v R [2021] NSWCCA 286 Nguyen v The Queen [2016] HCA 17; (2016) 256 CLR 656 Obeid v R (2017) 96 NSWLR 155; [2017] NSWCCA 221 PG v R [2017] NSWCCA 179; [2017] 268 A Crim R 61 Priovolidis v R [2016] NSWCCA 201 R v Borkowski [2009] NSWCCA 102; (2009) 195 A Crim R 1 R v Cameron [2005] NSWCCA 359; (2005) 157 A Crim R 70 R v Chandler (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 1758 R v Hammoud [2000] NSWCCA 540; (2001) 118 A Crim R 66 R v Jurisic (1998) 45 NSWLR 209 R v MMK [2006] NSWCCA 272; (2006) 164 A Crim R R v Moananu [2020] NSWDC 672 R v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 R v Whyte (2002) 55 NSWLR 252; [2002] NSWCCA 343 R v Winter [2012] NSWCCA 218; 225 A Crim R 572 R v Wright [2013] NSWCCA 82; 63 MVR 250 Sabongi v R [2015] NSWCCA 25; (2015) 249 A Crim R 167 SBF v R [2009] NSWCCA 231; (2009) 198 A Crim R 219 Smith v R [2020] NSWCCA 181; (2020) 93 MVR 345 Smith v The Queen [2020] VSCA 159 Spark v R [2012] NSWCCA 140 Westaway v R [2016] NSWCCA 281 Woodbridge v R [2010] NSWCCA 185; (2010) 208 A Crim R 503 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Richard Moananu (Applicant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S Hall (Applicant) B Hatfield (Respondent)