R v Tan (No 2) [2023] NSWDC 228

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Tan (No 2) [2023] NSWDC 228 Hearing dates: 14, 15, 19, 20, 21 June 2023 Decision date: 26 June 2023 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Abadee DCJ Decision: See paragraphs 224 - 228 Catchwords: CRIME – trial by judge alone – sexual offences against children – sexual intercourse with child aged between 10 & 14 – accused relies as a ground of exculpation upon honest and reasonable, but mistaken belief of fact – production of child abuse material – possession of child abuse material – accused relies upon defence of innocent production and innocent possession – significance of different legal burdens of proof for common law ground of exculpation of honest and reasonable mistake of fact and statutory defence – consideration of content of standard of proof when legal burden on an accused to prove a defence on the balance of probabilities - significance of the Crown omitting to call complainant as a witness – content and weight to be given to Mahmood direction Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) ss 61HA, 66C, 91FB, 91H, 91HA, 417 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) ss 133 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) ss 140, 141, 142 Cases Cited: Apollo Shower Screens Pty Ltd v Building and Construction Industry Long Service Payment Corp (1985) 1 NSWLR 561 ASIC v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345 Bell v State of Tasmania (2021) 395 ALR 589 Blatch v Archer (1774) 98 ER 969 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 CTM v The Queen (2008) 236 CLR 440 Dyers v R (2002) 210 CLR 285 G v H (1994) 181 CLR 387 He Kaw Tey v The Queen (1985) 157 CLR 523 Ho v Powell (2001) 51 NSWLR 572 Ibrahim v R [2014] NSWCCA 160 Jiminez v The Queen (1992) 173 CLR 572 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Mahmood v State of Western Australia (2008) 232 CLR 397 R v Marland [2017] NSWCCA 277 Morley v ASIC (2010) 247 FLR 140 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 110 ALR 444 Payne v Parker [1976] 1 NSWLR 191 Qantas Airways Ltd v Gama (2008) 167 FCR 537 R v Marland [2017] NSWCCA 277 R v Wiggins (No. 7) [2022] NSWSC 1249 Rassi v R [2023] NSWCCA 199 Roberts-Smith v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No.41) [2023] FCA 555 Robinson v R (No.2) (1991) 180 CLR 531 RPS v R (2000) 199 CLR 620 Schoffel v R [2023] NSWCCA 88 Texts Cited: B Fisse, Howard's Criminal Law (5th ed), Law Book Company (1990) LH Hoffmann, The South African Law of Evidence 2nd ed, 1970 J D Heydon, Cross on Evidence + Cases (electronic subscription, LexisNexis) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) R Tan (accused) Representation: Mr S Richards for the ODPP (Crown) Mr D Stewart for the accused (Counsel)