R v Knight [2023] NSWSC 321

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Knight [2023] NSWSC 321 Hearing dates: 30 March 2023 Date of orders: 31 March 2023 Decision date: 31 March 2023 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Yehia J Decision: (1) The offender is convicted. (2) Taking into account a discount of 25% to reflect the utilitarian value of the plea of guilty, and the Form 1 offence, the offender is sentenced to a non-parole period of 12 years and 6 months, commencing on 13 March 2021, and expiring on 12 September 2033. There will be a balance of term of 5 years, which will expire on 12 September 2038. The offender is eligible for release to parole at the expiration of the non-parole period. (2) Pursuant to s 25C(1) of the Crimes (High Risk Offenders) Act 2006 (NSW), I advise you of the existence of that Act and the fact that it applies to you and this offence. I direct that your legal representatives explain the significance of that fact to you. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – Sentencing – Murder – Single stab wound – Use of a weapon – Tragic consequences – Killing in the context of a domestic relationship – Intention to cause grievous bodily harm – Offence committed in victim's home an aggravating feature – Offence committed in the presence of a child an aggravating feature – Assessment of objective seriousness – Considerable remorse – Dysfunctional childhood – Relevance to sentencing – Reduction in moral culpability – The conflicting purposes of sentencing – Special circumstances – Adjustment to non-parole period Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) ss 18(1)(a), 428C Crimes (Domestic & Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW) s 14(1) Crimes (High Risk Offenders) Act 2006 (NSW) s 25C(1) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) ss 3A, 21A(2)(c), 21A(2)(ea), 21A(2)(eb), 21A(5AA), 32(1) Cases Cited: Abbas, Bodiotis, Taleb and Amount v R [2013] NSWCCA 115 Attorney General's Application Under s 37 of the Sentencing Act No 1 of 2002 (2002) 56 NSWLR 146; [2002] NSWCCA 518 Barbaro v The Queen (2014) 253 CLR 58; [2014] HCA 2 Bugmy v the Queen (2013) 249 CLR 571; [2013] HCA 37 Chandler v R [2023] NSWCCA 59 Dungay v R [2020] NSWCCA 209 Goodburn v R [2020] NSWCCA 77 Hili v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Hoskins v R [2021] NSWCCA 169 Kelly v R [2016] NSWCCA 246 Lloyd v R [2022] NSWCCA 18 McKinnon v R [2020] NSWCCA 106 Muldrock v The Queen (2011) 244 CLR 120; [2011] HCA 39 Munda v State of Western Australia (2013) 249 CLR 600; [2013] HCA 38 Neal v The Queen (1982) 2 ALR 609; [1982] HCA 55 Park v R [2019] NSWCCA 105 R v Ahmed (No 2) [2023] NSWSC 105 R v AN; R v LM; R v WD [2022] NSWSC 1272 R v Archer [2021] NSWSC 1485 R v Biles (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 525 R v Birch [2016] NSWSC 816 R v Brooks (No 5) [2017] NSWSC 824 R v Burns (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 140 R v Conway [2023] NSWSC 55 R v Dennis [2018] NSWSC 1733 R v Edigarov (2001) 125 A Crim R 551; [2001] NSWCCA 436 R v Elmir [2022] NSWDC 317 R v Engert (unrep, 20/11/95, NSWCCA) R v Fernando (1992) 76 A Crim R 52 R v Fredes [2020] NSWSC 1332 R v Jung [2022] NSWSC 1262 R v King [2004] NSWCCA 444 R v Lloyd [2022] NSWSC 906 R v MA [2004] NSWCCA 92 R v Millwood [2012] NSWCCA 2 R v MMK [2006] NSWCCA 272 R v Ruttley (No 7) [2017] NSWSC 1582 R v Ryan (No 4) [2020] NSWSC 1629 Ro v R [2019] NSWCCA 183 Singh v R [2021] NSWCCA 96 The Queen v Pham (2015) 256 CLR 550; [2015] HCA 39 Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465 Wood v R [2019] NSWCCA 309 Texts Cited: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Life Tables for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (2015-2017) (29 November 2018) Bugmy Bar Book, Impacts of Imprisonment and Remand in Custody (Public Defenders, Executive Summary, 2022) New South Wales Law Reform Commission, Sentencing (Report No 139, July 2013) Vanessa Edwige and Paul Grey, Significance of Culture to Rehabilitation and Wellbeing (August 2021) Category: Sentence Parties: Rex (Crown) Kenneth James Knight (Offender) Representation: Counsel: J Stanhope (Crown) I Nash (Offender)