Bolton v R [2023] NSWCCA 211

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Bolton v R [2023] NSWCCA 211 Hearing dates: 24 July 2023 Date of orders: 28 August 2023 Decision date: 28 August 2023 Before: Harrison J at [1] Wilson J at [53] N Adams J at [55] Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal. (2) Dismiss the appeal. Catchwords: CRIMES – appeals – appeal against conviction – sexual offences against child – asserted unreasonableness or questionable supportability of verdicts – where complainant six years old at time of alleged offending and nine years old at trial – asserted inconsistency of complainant's evidence – where allegations themselves said to be so inherently fantastical jury must have had doubt – nature of child sexual offending – nature of allegations described within experience of courts and the community – jury advantage in observing witnesses – verdicts not unreasonable Legislation Cited: Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) s 5 Cases Cited: AS v R [2022] NSWCCA 291 Dansie v The Queen [2022] HCA 25 JL v R [2023] NSWCCA 99 Khan v R [2022] NSWCCA 157 Liberato v The Queen (1985) 159 CLR 507; [1985] HCA 66 Libke v The Queen (2007) 230 CLR 559; [2007] HCA 30 M v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 487; [1994] HCA 63 MFA v R (2002) 213 CLR 606; [2002] HCA 53 Pell v The Queen (2020) 268 CLR 123; [2020] HCA 12 RA v R [2020] NSWCCA 356 RW v R [2023] NSWCCA 2 Sita v R [2022] NSWCCA 90 SKA v The Queen (2011) 243 CLR 400; [2011] HCA 13 The Queen v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308; [2016] HCA 35 VP v R [2021] NSWCCA 11 Z (a pseudonym) v R [2022] NSWCCA 8 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Brendon Bolton (Applicant) Rex (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M Avenell SC (Applicant) E Nicholson (Respondent)