Davidson v R [2022] NSWCCA 153

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Davidson v R [2022] NSWCCA 153 Hearing dates: 2 May 2022 Date of orders: 15 July 2022 Decision date: 15 July 2022 Before: Brereton JA at [1]; Adamson J at [50]; N Adams J at [164]. Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal. (2) Uphold the appeal. (3) Quash the sentence imposed on the applicant in the District Court on 9 April 2021 and, in lieu thereof, sentence the applicant to an aggregate sentence of 20 years' imprisonment to commence on 1 February 2020 and expire on 31 January 2040. The aggregate non-parole period is 15 years' imprisonment to commence on 1 February 2020 and expire on 31 January 2035. (4) The offence of manslaughter is a "serious violence offence" as defined in s 5A of the Crimes (High Risk Offenders) Act 2006 (NSW). Accordingly, the applicant is advised, as required by s 25C of that Act, of the existence of that legislation and of its application to the offences he has committed. Catchwords: CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – spree of dangerous driving giving rise to seven offences – where four children died, one injured seriously, two injured – whether ADHD causally linked to commission of offences – whether sentence manifestly excessive – no truly comparable case – indicative sentences on manslaughter counts too high – aggregate sentence too high – appeal allowed – re-sentence CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – totality principle – whether sentence "crushing" – approach where one criminal act but multiple victims CRIME – manslaughter – use of a motor vehicle – species of involuntary manslaughter in driving cases Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 18, 18(1)(b), 24, 52A,52A(4), 53, 66A Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW), s 68A Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 3A, 21A, 21A, 28, 30E, 32, 44, 45D, 53A, 53A(2) Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), s 546 Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW), ss 110(5), 117(2), 118, 118(1) Cases Cited: Aryal v R [2021] NSWCCA 2 Atai v R [2020] NSWCCA 302 Bubner v R [2022] SASCA 27 Bugmy v The Queen (2013) 249 CLR 571; [2013] HCA 37 Byrne v R; Cahill v R [2021] NSWCCA 185; 97 MVR 85 Chartres-Abbott v R [2021] NSWCCA 239; 291 A Crim R 225 Crowley v R [2021] NSWCCA 45 Dinsdale v The Queen (2000) 202 CLR 321; [2000] HCA 54 Director of Public Prosecutions v Abdulrahman [2021] NSWCCA 114; 96 MVR 309 Duncan v R [2012] NSWCCA 78 GS v R [2016] NSWCCA 266 Guode v R [2018] VSCA 205 Hili v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Hughes v R [2018] NSWCCA 2 JM v R [2014] NSWCCA 297; 246 A Crim R 528 Kerr v R [2016] NSWCCA 218; 78 MVR 191 Lawler v R [2002] NSWCCA 85; 169 A Crim R 415 Lees v R [2019] NSWCCA 65 Lowndes v The Queen (1999) 195 CLR 665; [1999] HCA 29 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Mills v R [2017] NSWCCA 87 Moananu v R [2022] NSWCCA 85 Nguyen v R (2015) 256 CLR 656; [2016] HCA 17 O'Brien v Tanning Research Laboratories Inc (1988) 14 NSWLR 601 Obeid v R (2017) 96 NSWLR 155; [2017] NSWCCA 221 Pennant Hills Restaurants Pty Ltd v Barrell Insurances Pty Ltd [1977] 2 NSWLR 827 PG v R [2017] NSWCCA 179; 268 A Crim R 61 R v Cameron [2005] NSWCCA 359; 157 A Crim R 70 R v Camilleri [2021] NSWSC 221 R v Chandler (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 1758; 84 MVR 399 R v Clinch (1994) 72 A Crim R 301 R v Cramp [1999] NSWCCA 324; 110 A Crim R 198 R v Gordon (No 8) [2017] NSWSC 574 R v Hraichie (No 3) [2019] NSWSC 973 R v MAK; R v MSK [2006] NSWCCA 381; 167 A Crim R 159 R v Robert Borkowski [2009] NSWCCA 102; 95 A Crim R 152 R v Simpson (2001) 53 NSWLR 704; [2001] NSWCCA 534 R v Winter [2012] NSWCCA 218; 225 A Crim R 572 R v Wooldridge (2015) 123 SASR 422; [2015] SASCFC 125 Sivell v R [2019] NSWCCA 77 Smith v R [2020] NSWCCA 181; 93 MVR 345 Spark v R [2012] NSWCCA 140 Wong v The Queen (2001) 207 CLR 584; [2001] HCA 64 Woodbridge v R [2020] NSWCCA 185; 208 A Crim R 503 Woolworths v Kelly (1991) 22 NSWLR 189 ZA v R [2017] NSWCCA 132; 267 A Crim R 105 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Samuel Davidson (Applicant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S Odgers SC (Applicant) D Kell SC with G Newton (Respondent)