Blair v R [2022] NSWCCA 176

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Blair v R [2022] NSWCCA 176 Hearing dates: 25 July 2022 Date of orders: 18 August 2022 Decision date: 18 August 2022 Before: Beech-Jones CJ at CL at [1] Fagan J at [9] Yehia J at [14] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal against conviction is granted. (2) The appeal is dismissed. Catchwords: CRIME — Appeal — Appeal against conviction — Whether the trial Judge was required to warn himself pursuant to ss 165(1)(a) and 165(1)(d) of the Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) — Whether the complainant might reasonably be supposed to have been criminally concerned in the events giving rise to the proceedings — No request by trial counsel that the trial Judge give himself the relevant warnings — No miscarriage of justice demonstrated — Unreasonable verdict — Whether it was open to the trial Judge to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt of the elements of Count 2 — Appeal dismissed Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) ss 97(1), 86(3) and 117 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) s 6(1) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) ss 165(1)(a) and 165(1)(d) Cases Cited: Davies v Director of Public Prosecutions [1954] AC 378 Downey (1997) 97 A Crim R 41 Kanaan and Ors v Regina [2006] NSWCCA 109 Khan v R [2022] NSWCCA 157 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; (1994) 181 CLR 487 McKinney v The Queen [1991] HCA 6; (1991) 171 CLR 468 MFA v The Queen [2002] HCA 53; (2002) 213 CLR 606 Papakosmas v The Queen [1999] HCA 37; (1999) 196 CLR 297 Peacock v The King [1999] HCA 66; (1911) 13 CLR 619 Pell v The Queen [2020] HCA 12; (2020) 268 CLR 123 R v Baartman [2000] NSWCCA 298 R v Booth [1982] 2 NSWLR 847 R v Clarke [2001] NSWCCA 494 R v Kendrick [1997] 2 VR 699 R v McLachlan [1999] 2 VR 553 R v Ncanana 1948 (4) SA 399 R v Sneesby [1951] St R Qd 26 R v Taranto [1999] NSWCCA 396 R v TJF (2001) 120 A Crim R 209; [2001] NSWCCA 127 Regina v Stewart [2001] NSWCCA 260 Sita v R [2022] NSWCCA 90 SKA v The Queen [2011] HCA 13; (2011) 243 CLR 400 SM v R [2022] NSWCCA 13 Ware (1994) 73 A Crim R 17 Texts Cited: Australian Law Reform Commission, Report No 26: Evidence (Interim), (1985) Australian Law Reform Commission, Report No 38: Evidence, (1987) Category: Principal judgment Parties: William Blair (Applicant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: A Francis (Applicant) G Newton (Respondent)