EC (a pseudonym) v R [2023] NSWCCA 66

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: EC (a pseudonym) v R [2023] NSWCCA 66 Hearing dates: 7 September 2022 Date of orders: 24 March 2023 Decision date: 24 March 2023 Before: Mitchelmore JA at [1]; Button J at [77]; Wright J at [78]. Decision: (1) Appeal allowed. (2) Quash the conviction on Sequence 8 recorded in the Children's Court on 25 January 2016 (and confirmed in the District Court on 8 September 2016). (3) Remit the proceedings to the Children's Court for a retrial of Sequence 8. (4) List the proceedings before the Registrar of the Children's Court for directions as soon as reasonably practicable. Catchwords: CRIME – appeal and review – application for inquiry into conviction – referral to the Court of Criminal Appeal under Part 7 of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW) – whether absence of evidence from trial and appeal to District Court resulted in miscarriage of justice – where miscarriage of justice has occurred – whether appropriate to direct entry of a verdict of acquittal or order retrial Legislation Cited: Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW), ss 15A, 15B, 33 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 61J, 66C, 80AG Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW), ss 11, 78, 79, 86 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), ss 6, 8, 12 Criminal Legislation Amendment (Child Sexual Abuse) Act 2018 (NSW) Cases Cited: ALS v R [2013] NSWCCA 63 Application by Cartman (a pseudonym) pursuant to s 78 Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW) [2022] NSWSC 308 Carlton v R [2014] NSWCCA 14 Edwards v The Queen (2021) 393 ALR 368; [2021] HCA 28 Gallagher v The Queen (1986) 160 CLR 392; [1986] HCA 26 Gilham v The Queen (2012) 224 A Crim R 22; [2012] NSWCCA 131 Goodwin v The Queen (1990) 51 A Crim R 328 Hofer v The Queen (2021) 395 ALR 1; [2021] HCA 36 Jiminez v The Queen (1992) 173 CLR 572; [1992] HCA 14 Khoury v R [2011] NSWCCA 118 Lawless v The Queen (1979) 142 CLR 659; [1979] HCA 49 Mickelberg v The Queen (1989) 167 CLR 259; [1989] HCA 35 R v Abou-Chabake (2004) 149 A Crim R 417; [2004] NSWCCA 356 R v Taufahema (2007) 228 CLR 232; [2007] HCA 11 R v Thomas (No 3) (2006) 14 VR 512; [2006] VSCA 300 Ramsey v R [2022] NSWCCA 197 Ratten v The Queen (1974) 131 CLR 510; [1974] HCA 35 Spies v The Queen (2000) 201 CLR 603; [2000] HCA 43 State of NSW v Norstead [2019] NSWSC 1095 Stephens v The Queen (2022) 404 ALR 367; [2022] HCA 31 Xie v R (2021) 386 ALR 371; [2021] NSWCCA 1 Tomlinson v R (2022) 107 NSWLR 239; [2022] NSWCCA 16 WX v R (2020) 102 NSWLR 467; [2020] NSWCCA 142 Zhou v R [2021] NSWCCA 278 Category: Principal judgment Parties: EC (a pseudonym) (Appellant) Crown (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Ms K Heath (Appellant) Mr G Newton SC (Respondent)