Kochai v R [2023] NSWCCA 116

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Kochai v R [2023] NSWCCA 116 Hearing dates: 15 February 2023 Date of orders: 24 May 2023 Decision date: 24 May 2023 Before: Button J at [1]; Wilson J at [2]; N Adams J at [3]. Decision: (1) Leave to appeal is granted. (2) The appeal is dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – sentence appeal – objective seriousness – whether sentencing judge made an assessment of objective seriousness – where sentencing judge noted factors relevant to finding – no requirement to use an adjective to assess objective seriousness – ground dismissed CRIMINAL LAW – sentence appeal – manifest excess – where no specific error discerned – whether sentence was manifestly excessive having regard to degree of accumulation – where applicant traded cocaine for illegal cigarettes – trading illegal substances represents more significant criminality than trading an illegal substance for money - comparable cases distinguishable – ground dismissed Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 193D(1) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), s 21A(3)(i) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), ss 5(1)(c), 6(3) Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW), ss 10(1), 25(2) Cases Cited: A v R [2020] NSWCCA 145 Bektasovski v R [2022] NSWCCA 246 Briouzguine v R [2014] NSWCCA 264 Cahyadi v R (2007) 168 A Crim R 41; [2007] NSWCCA 1 Delaney v R; R v Delaney [2013] NSWCCA 150 DH v R [2022] NSWCCA 200 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v De La Rosa (2010) 79 NSWLR 1; [2010] NSWCCA 19 Faraj v R [2022] NSWCCA 31 Hadler v R [2020] NSWCCA 305 Hili v the Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Huang v R [2019] NSWCCA 144 Irmak v R; Dagdanasar v R [2021] NSWCCA 178 Khoury v R [2020] NSWCCA 190 Lee v R [2019] NSWCCA 106 McLean v R [2020] NSWCCA 344 Merheb v R [2021] NSWCCA 224 Naberezhnov v R [2021] NSWCCA 142 Newman (a pseudonym) v R [2019] NSWCCA 157 Nye v The Queen [2018] NSWCCA 244 Obeid v R (2017) 96 NSWLR 155; [2017] NSWCCA 221 Parkinson v R [2021] NSWCCA 98 Pham v R [2014] NSWCCA 115 R v Andrew Lee Black; R v Rowan Alistair Connell [2019] NSWDC 756 R v Campbell [2014] NSWCCA 102 R v Chami; R v Hassoun; R v Halloum [2021] NSWDC 519 R v Kochai [2022] NSWDC 230 R v Van Ryn [2016] NSWCCA 1 Rodgers v R [2018] NSWCCA 47 Rodriego (a Pseudonym) v The Queen (2021) 293 A Crim R 308; [2021] NSWCCA 237 Yeung v R [2018] NSWCCA 52 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Khalid Kochai (Applicant) Rex (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S Goodwin (Applicant) S Lind (Respondent)