Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) v Presnell [2022] NSWCCA 146

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) v Presnell [2022] NSWCCA 146 Hearing dates: 13 May 2022 Date of orders: 30 June 2022 Decision date: 30 June 2022 Before: Basten AJA at [1] Hamill J at [22] Dhanji J at [35] Decision: Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIME – appeals – interlocutory appeal – permanent stay of criminal proceedings – sexual offences – sexual act with or towards a child – masturbating while looking at child – child not aware of act – meaning of "with or towards" – meaning of "towards" – statutory interpretation – legislative history – presumption that legislature intends words to take the meaning given to them by courts Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 61E (repealed), 61HB, 61HC, 61HE (repealed), 61KE, 61KF, 61N (repealed), 61O (repealed), 66DA, 66DB, 66DC, 66DD, 66DE, 66DF, 76A (repealed), 78Q (repealed), 80AE, 81A (repealed), 409B (repealed) Crimes and Other Acts (Amendment) Act 1974 (NSW) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5F Crimes (Amendment) Act 1989 (NSW) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), s 21A Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (SA), s 58 Criminal Legislation (Amendment) Act 1992 (NSW) Criminal Legislation Amendment (Child Sexual Abuse) Act 2018 (NSW) Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), ss 293, 294CB Indecency with Children Act 1960 (UK), s 1 Cases Cited: Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (Northern Territory) (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Antoun v The Queen [2006] HCA 2; (2006) 80 ALJR 497 Arvinthan v R [2022] NSWCCA 44 Caterpillar of Australia Pty Ltd v Industrial Court of New South Wales (2009) 78 NSWLR 43; [2009] NSWCA 83 Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation of the Commonwealth of Australia (1981) 147 CLR 297; [1981] HCA 26 Crampton v The Queen (2000) 206 CLR 161; [2000] HCA 60 Director of Public Prosecutions of the Commonwealth of Australia v Keating (2013) 248 CLR 459; [2013] HCA 20 Director of Public Prosecutions v Burgess [1971] QB 432 Director of Public Prosecutions v Eades [2009] NSWSC 1352 Director of Public Prosecutions v Rogers [1953] 1 WLR 1017; (1953) 37 Cr App R 137 Fairclough v Whipp [1951] 2 All ER 834; (1951) 35 Cr App R 138 Goldsbrough, Mort & Company Ltd v Larcombe (1907) 5 CLR 263; [1907] HCA 58 Jackmain (a pseudonym) v R (2020) 102 NSWLR 847; [2020] NSWCCA 150 Jago v The District Court of New South Wales (1989) 168 CLR 23; [1989] HCA 46 R v AWL (2003) 231 LSJS 239; [2003] SASC 416 R v Barrass [2005] NSWCCA 131 R v Chonka [2000] NSWCCA 466 R v Edelsten (1989-1990) 18 NSWLR 213 R v Francis (1989) 88 Cr App R 127 R v Orsos (1997) 95 A Crim R 457 R v Page (Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW), 25 November 1991, unrep) R v Riley, Christopher [2020] NSWCCA 283 R v Steffan (1993) 30 NSWLR 633 Re Alcan Australia Ltd; Ex parte Federation of Industrial, Manufacturing and Engineering Employee (1994) 181 CLR 96; [1994] HCA 34 Regina v Gillard (1999) 105 A Crim R 479; [1999] NSWCCA 21 Regina v Preece (1977) 1 QB 370 Saraswati v The Queen (1991) 172 CLR 1; [1991] HCA 21 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378; [1993] HCA 77 Yorke v Lucas (1985) 158 CLR 661; [1985] HCA 65 Texts Cited: Macquarie Dictionary, 6th ed (2013) Oxford English Dictionary, online ed Second Reading Speech, New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Criminal Legislation Amendment (Child Sexual Abuse) Bill 2018 The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Regina (Appellant) Raymond William Presnell (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D Kell SC with M Millward (Appellant) B Rigg SC with C Mendes (Respondent)