R v Officer A (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1381

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Officer A (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1381 Hearing dates: 11 October 2022 Date of orders: 11 October 2022 Decision date: 14 October 2022 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Beech-Jones CJ at CL Decision: The lawful excuse that will be put to the jury will be that provided for in clause 303 of the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation 2014 (NSW) without regard to clause 131 thereof. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – murder – correctional officer shot escaping inmate – lawful cause or excuse – authority of correctional officer to discharge firearm and use force – whether lawful excuse to be put to the jury was cl 131 or cl 303 of the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation 2014 (NSW) or both – whether Crown must disprove both or need only disprove one – conflicting statutory provisions – necessity to reconcile – Anthony Hordern principle – literal meaning of force as extending to discharge of firearms in cl 131 read down – cl 303 identifies circumstances in which firearm may be discharged Legislation Cited: Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 (NSW) Crimes (Administration of Sentences) (Correctional Centre Administration) Regulation 1995 (NSW) Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation 2001 (NSW) Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation 2008 (NSW) Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation 2014 (NSW) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Prisons (Administration) Regulation 1989 (NSW) Prisons (Administration) Regulation 1999 (NSW) Prisons (General) Regulation 1989 (NSW) Prisons (General) Regulation 1995 (NSW) Prisons Act 1952 (NSW) Prisons Regulation 1968 (NSW) Crimes (Administration of Sentences) (Correctional Centre Routine) Regulation 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: Anthony Hordern & Sons Ltd v Amalgamated Clothing and Allied Trades Union of Australia (1932) 47 CLR 1; [1932] HCA 9 Binse v Williams (1997) 91 A Crim R 340; [1998] 1 VR 381 Hogan v Australian Crime Commission (2010) 240 CLR 651; [2010] HCA 21 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs v Nystrom (2006) 228 CLR 566; [2006] HCA 50 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 R v Officer A (No 1) [2022] NSWSC 1362 X7 v Australian Crime Commission & Anor (2013) 248 CLR 92; [2013] HCA 29 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Rex (Crown) Officer A (Accused) Representation: Counsel: Ms S Dowling SC; Ms A Bonnor; Ms S Lind (Crown) Mr P Strickland SC; Ms S Palaniappan (Accused)