Towse v R [2022] NSWCCA 252

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Towse v R [2022] NSWCCA 252 Hearing dates: 12 October 2022 Date of orders: 29 November 2022 Decision date: 29 November 2022 Before: Basten AJA at [1]; Davies J at [57]; McNaughton J at [58] Decision: (1) Grant the applicant leave to appeal against the sentence imposed by the District Court on 12 August 2021. (2) Allow the appeal and set aside the sentence imposed in the District Court. (3) Sentence the applicant to a period of imprisonment involving a non-parole period of 3 years and 3 months commencing on 7 April 2020 with a balance of term of 2 years. (4) Note that the applicant is first eligible for release on 6 July 2023. Catchwords: CRIME – sentencing – child sex offences – persistent sexual abuse of a child – Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 66EA – offences in NSW and Qld – sexual touching and intercourse SENTENCING – appeal against sentence – objective seriousness – nine-year old victim – 40-year-old offender – victim was offender's stepdaughter – five ingredient offences occurred over a week – serious breach of trust – sentencing judge found offending to be below mid-range, but above low range – no error SENTENCING – appeal against sentence – manifest excess – 35% discount for early plea and assistance to authorities – comparable cases – Burr v R [2020] NSWCCA 282; Eacott (a pseudonym) v R [2019] NSWCCA 158; Mills v R [2017] NSWCCA 87; GP (a pseudonym) v R [2021] NSWCCA 180, considered – starting-point beyond range SENTENCING – re-sentencing on appeal –reasonable prospects of rehabilitation – general deterrence less relevant with intellectually unsophisticated offender – discount assessed by sentencing judge applied Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 66A, 66DA, 66DC, 66EA Criminal Code 1899 (Qld), s 210 Cases Cited: Aslan v R [2014] NSWCCA 114 Burr v R [2020] NSWCCA 282 Byrne v R; Cahill v R [2021] NSWCCA 185 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v De La Rosa (2010) 79 NSWLR 1; [2010] NSWCCA 194 Eacott (a pseudonym) v R [2019] NSWCCA 158 GP (a pseudonym) v R [2021] NSWCCA 180 Hili v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Jeffree v R [2017] NSWCCA 72 Kelly v The Queen (2004) 218 CLR 216; [2004] HCA 12 Magro v R [2020] NSWCCA 25 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Mills v R [2017] NSWCCA 87 Mulato v R [2006] NSWCCA 282 Muldrock v The Queen (2011) 244 CLR 120; [2011] HCA 39 Obeid v R (2017) 96 NSWLR 155; [2017] NSWCCA 221 Park v The Queen (2021) 395 ALR 193; [2021] HCA 37 R v Anderson [1981] VR 155 R v Gavel [2014] NSWCCA 56 R v Mooney (Court of Criminal Appeal (Vic), 21 June 1978, unrep) R v RB [2022] NSWCCA 142 S v The Queen (1989) 168 CLR 266; [1989] HCA 66 SB v R [2022] NSWCCA 164 The Queen v Kilic (2016) 259 CLR 256; [2016] HCA 48 The Queen v Verdins (2007) 16 VR 269; [2007] VSCA 102 Texts Cited: New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Second Reading Speech, Criminal Legislation Amendment (Child Sexual Abuse) Bill 2018 (NSW) (Hansard), 6 June 2018 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Cth), Criminal Justice Report Parts III-VI, 2017 Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service, Final Report: Vol V: The Paedophile Inquiry, August 1997 Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service, Final Report: Vol VI: The Paedophile Inquiry Appendices, August 1997 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Peter Towse (Applicant) Rex (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr S Howell (Applicant) Ms S Traynor (Respondent)