SafeWork NSW v Piergrosse [2022] NSWDC 174

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: SafeWork NSW v Piergrosse [2022] NSWDC 174 Hearing dates: 23 March 2022 Date of orders: 25 May 2022 Decision date: 25 May 2022 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Strathdee, DCJ Decision: (1) The defendant is convicted. (2) The appropriate fine is $80,000.00, but that is to be reduced by 25% for the early plea. (3) I order the defendant to pay a fine in the sum of $60,000.00. (4) 50% of the fine imposed is to be paid to the prosecutor pursuant to s 133(2) of the Fines Act 1996 (NSW). (5) The defendant is to pay the prosecutor's costs as agreed or assessed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – prosecution – work health and safety – duty of persons undertaking business – risk of death or serious injury SENTENCE – objective seriousness – mitigating factors – aggravating factors – plea of guilty – general deterrence – specific deterrence – parity - appropriate sentence – strong subjective case – capacity to pay OTHER – s 19(1) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) Cases Cited: Bulga Underground Operations v Nash (2016) 93 NSWLR 338 Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 Fisher v Samaras Industries Pty Ltd (1996) 82 IR 384 at 388 Kirk v Industrial Court (NSW) (2010) 239 CLR 531 Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (1999) 90 IR 464 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357 Morrison v Powercoal Pty Ltd (No. 3) (2005) 147 IR 117 Nash v Silver City Drilling (NSW) Pty Ltd [2017] NSWCCA 96 Orbit Drilling v The Queen (2012) 35 VR 399 R v Cage [2006] NSWCCA 304 R v MA [2004] NSWCCA 92 R v Miria [2009] NSWCCA 68 R v MMK [2006] NSWCCA 272 R v Thomson & Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Youkhana [2004] NSWCCA 412 SafeWork NSW v Grandcity Constructions Pty Ltd [2018] NSWDC 398 SafeWork NSW v HCM Building Pty Ltd [2019] NSWDC 632 Veen v R (No. 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465 WorkCover Authority (NSW) v Profab Industries Pty Ltd (2000) 49 NSWLR 700 WorkCover Authority (NSW) v Sarjame Storage Pty Ltd [2015] NSWDC 151 Texts Cited: Amenity Tree Industry Code of Practice 1998 SafeWork Australia Guide to Managing Risks of Tree Trimming and Removal Work, July 2016 Category: Sentence Parties: SafeWork New South Wales (Prosecutor) Aaron Vincent Piergrosse (Defendant) Representation: Mr N Read, of counsel appeared for the Prosecutor Mr J Gunson, solicitor appeared for the Defendant