R v Dawson [2022] NSWSC 545

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Dawson [2022] NSWSC 545 Hearing dates: 04 May 2022 Date of orders: 06 May 2022 Decision date: 06 May 2022 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: Harrison J Decision: Order pursuant to s 8(1)(e) of the Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 that publication of any details of or concerning the fact that the accused Christopher Michael Dawson has applied for legal aid, or with respect to any appeal by him from the decision of the Legal Aid Commission refusing any such application, be prohibited until further order of the Court. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – murder trial – significant public interest in the trial proper – Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 – application by accused for legal aid – whether in the public interest to suppress publication of the fact of such an application – whether there is a risk that publicity concerning that application might affect it adversely and hence the trial itself Legislation Cited: Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW), ss 6, 7, 8, 11, 12 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Regina (Crown) Christopher Michael Dawson (Accused) Representation: Counsel: C M Everson SC and E Blizard (Crown) P David (Accused) D Sibtain (Media intervenors)

Solicitors: Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Crown) Greg Walsh & Co Solicitors (Accused) Thomson Geer Lawyers (Media intervenors) File Number(s): 2018/372527 Publication restriction: Nil