R v DB [2022] NSWCCA 87

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: R v DB [2022] NSWCCA 87 Hearing dates: 26 November 2021 Date of orders: 29 April 2022 Decision date: 29 April 2022 Before: Brereton JA at [1] Wilson J at [72] Ierace J at [204] Decision: 1 Appeal dismissed Catchwords: CRIME – Appeal by Crown against acquittals – charges of sexual touching – respondent suffering from "sexsomnia" – question of volition – construction of phrase "mental health impairment" – s 4 Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 2020 – whether Act codifies or alters the common law concerning the mental illness defence - relevance of common law defence of non-insane automatism –whether sexsomnia is a mental health impairment – question of correctness of construction and application of Act at trial Legislation Cited: Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990 (NSW) Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020 (NSW) Mental Health Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Bill 2020 (NSW) New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 3 June 2020 Cases Cited: Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Bratty v Attorney-General for Northern Ireland [1963] AC 386 Certain Lloyd's Underwriters Subscribing to Contract No 1H00AAQS v Cross [2012] HCA 56; 293 ALR 412 Commissioner of Taxation v Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd (2012) 250 CLR 503; [2012] HCA 55 Fain v Commonwealth (1879) 78 Ky 183 Fang v The Queen [2018] NSWCCA 210 H.M. Advocate v Fraser (1878) 4 Coup 70 Project Blue Sky v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 R v Boshears (Essex Assizes, 17 February 1961, unrep) R v Cogdon (Supreme Court of Victoria, Smith J, December 1950, unrep) R v Cottle [1958] NZLR 999 R v DB [2021] NSWDC 213 R v Falconer [1990] HCA 49; (1990) 96 ALR 545 R v Holmes [1960] WAR 122 R v Joyce [1970] SASR 184 R v JS [2007] NSWCCA 272; (2007) 175 A Crim R 108 R v King [2004] ACTSC 82; (2004) 155 ACTR 55 R v M'Naghten (1843) 10 Cl & Fin 200; 8 ER 718 R v Paltridge (Devon Assizes, 19 February 1952, unrep) R v Pantelic (1973) 1 ACTR 1; 21 FLR 253 R v PL [2009] NSWCCA 256 R v Porter (1933) 55 CLR 182; [1933] HCA 1 R v Price (Kent Assizes, 19 November 1949, unrep) R v Quick [1973] QB 910 R v Radford (1985) 42 SASR 266 R v Stone (Bristol Assizes, Charles J, 24 November 1936, unrep) R v Tolson (1889) 23 QBD 168 R v Tsigos [1964-5] NSWR 1607 R v XHR [2012] NSWCCA 247 R v Youssef (1990) 50 A Crim R 1 Rasic v The Queen [2009] NSWCCA 202 Ryan v The Queen (1967) 121 CLR 205 Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services v Hayward (a pseudonym) [2018] NSWCA 209 Stapleton v The Queen (1952) 86 CLR 35; [1952] HCA 56 Watmore v Jenkins [1962] 2 QB 572 Williams v The Queen (1986) 161 CLR 278; [1986] HCA 88 Woodbridge v The Queen [2010] NSWCCA 185; (2010) 208 A Crim R 503 Texts Cited: Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 2003; 48:311-307 N Morris, "Somnambulistic Homicide: Ghosts, Spiders, and North Koreans (1951) Res Judicatae 29 NSW Law Reform Commission, 'People with Cognitive and Mental Health Impairments in the Criminal Justice System: Criminal Responsibility and Consequences' (Report, 2013) Macquarie Dictionary, 8th ed (2022) Sir Owen Dixon, "A Legacy of Hadfield, M'Naghten and Maclean" (1957) 31 ALJ 255 Vol. 1, The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, Clarendon Press, Oxford 1993 'Alleged Bayonet Attack: Recruit for Trial', The Manchester Guardian, 26 August 1949 'Sleepwalking Defence', The Times, 26 November 1936; 'Sleepwalker's Plea Succeeds', Daily Telegraph, 25 November 1936 The Manchester Guardian, 21 November 1949 'U.S. Sergeant is Cleared of Murder', The Times, 18 February 1961. 'Sleepwalker Attacked Wife with Axe', Daily Telegraph, 20 February 1952 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Regina (Applicant) DB (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: H Roberts SC & K Heath (Crown) (Applicant) P Strickland SC & G Lewer (Respondent)