Reyne (a pseudonym) v R [2022] NSWCCA 201

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Reyne (a pseudonym) v R [2022] NSWCCA 201 Hearing dates: 25 July 2022 Date of orders: 19 September 2022 Decision date: 19 September 2022 Before: Beech-Jones CJ at CL at [1]; Dhanji J at [9]; Yehia J at [141]. Decision: (1) Leave to appeal is granted. (2) The appeal is allowed. (3) The conviction of the applicant in the District Court on 6 November 2020 for the offence contrary to s 35(2) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm is quashed. (4) In lieu thereof, enter a verdict of acquittal on that offence. Catchwords: CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – recklessly causing grievous bodily harm – trial by judge alone – skull fracture – circumstantial case – unreasonable verdict – expert evidence – whether injuries caused in the essential period – whether injury amounted to grievous bodily harm – where trial judge had no relevant advantage – quintessential jury question – relevance of age of victim – relevance of future risk of harm – appeal allowed – conviction quashed – verdict of acquittal WORDS AND PHRASES – "grievous bodily harm" Legislation Cited: Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW), s 15A Crimes Act 1900 (ACT), Dictionary Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 4, 35(2) Crimes Act 1958 (Vic), s 15 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), ss 5(1)(b), 6(1) Criminal Code 1899 (Qld), s 1 Criminal Code 1913 (WA), s 1 Criminal Code 1924 (Tas), s 1 Criminal Code 1983 (NT), s 1 Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (SA), s 21 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), s 133(1) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 38 Cases Cited: AA v McDevitt [2017] ACTSC 342 AK v Western Australia (2008) 232 CLR 438; [2008] HCA 8 Branir Pty Ltd v Owston Nominees (No 2) Pty Ltd (2001) 117 FCR 424; [2001] FCA 1833 Chambers v Jobling (1986) 7 NSWLR 1 Coughlan v The Queen (2020) 267 CLR 654; [2020] HCA 15 Dansie v The Queen [2022] HCA 25; (2022) 96 ALJR 728 Director of Public Prosecutions v Smith [1961] AC 290 Filippou v The Queen (2015) 256 CLR 47; [2015] HCA 29 Fleming v The Queen (1998) 197 CLR 250; [1998] HCA 68 Frew v R [2022] NSWCCA 165 Hone v State of Western Australia [2007] WASCA 283 Hyam v Director of Public Prosecutions [1974] UKHL 2; [1975] AC 55 JH v R [2021] NSWCCA 324 Joyce v Yeomans [1981] 1 WLR 549; [1981] 2 All ER 21 Libke v The Queen (2007) 230 CLR 559; [2007] HCA 30 M v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 487; [1994] HCA 63 MacKenzie v The Queen (1996) 190 CLR 348; [1996] HCA 35 Mizzi v The Queen (1960) 105 CLR 659; [1960] HCA 77 Pell v The Queen (2020) 268 CLR 123; [2020] HCA 12 Pell v The Queen [2019] VSCA 186 R v Bird-Walton (A pseudonym) [2020] NSWDC 730 R v Bollom [2003] EWCA Crim 2846; [2004] 2 Cr App R 50 R v Golding [2014] EWCA Crim 889 R v Hall (1988) 36 A Crim R 368 R v Klamo (2008) 18 VR 644; [2008] VSCA 75 R v Perks (1986) 41 SASR 335; (1986) 20 A Crim R 201 R v RIK [2004] NSWCCA 282 R v Stone (Court of Criminal Appeal (UK), Devlin J, 13 December 1954, unrep) SKA v The Queen (2011) 243 CLR 400; [2011] HCA 13 ST v R [2022] NSWCCA 169 Swan v R [2016] NSWCCA 79 The Queen v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308; [2016] HCA 35 Ukropina v R [2016] NSWCCA 277 Weissensteiner v The Queen (1993) 178 CLR 217; [1993] HCA 65 Wick v R [2017] NSWCCA 244 Texts Cited: Macquarie Dictionary, online ed, September 2022 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Julia Reyne (Applicant) Rex (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M Avenell SC (Applicant) E Nicholson (Respondent)