R v TH; R v MT; R v ME; R v MC [2023] NSWDC 384

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v TH; R v MT; R v ME; R v MC [2023] NSWDC 384 Hearing dates: 13, 14, 15 March 2023 Date of orders: 17 March 2023 Decision date: 17 March 2023 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: McHugh SC DCJ Decision: The reports dated 19 May and 17 November 2020 purporting to express expert opinions in respect of outlaw motorcycle gangs are excluded in the each of the joint trials of MC, MT, ME and TH under s 137 of the Evidence Act 1995 (NSW). Catchwords: EVIDENCE – expert evidence – pre-trial objection to tender of expert report prepared by police officer in relation to outlaw motorcycle gangs – whether police officer has "specialised knowledge" of outlaw motorcycle gangs – whether putative expert report should be excluded as unfairly prejudicial to the accused Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) ss 55, 76, 79, 80, 135, 137 Cases Cited: Amarba Pty Ltd v Booth [2010] NSWCA 344; (2010) 9 DDCR 488 ASIC v Rich (2005) 218 ALR 764 Dasreef Pty Ltd v Hawchar (2011) 243 CLR 588 Daubert v Merrell, Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc 509 US 579; 125 L Ed, 2d 469 (1993) Forbes v Selleys Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 149 HG v The Queen (1999) 197 CLR 414 Honeysett v The Queen [2014] HCA 29; (2014) 253 CLR 122 Lithgow City Council v Jackson (2011) 244 CLR 352 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705 Murphy v The Queen (1989) 167 CLR 94 Nicholls v Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd [2012] NSWCA 383 R v Cluse [2014] SASCFC 97; (2014) 120 SASR 268 R v Crane & Ors (Trial Ruling No 12) (Supreme Court (NSW), Fagan J, 2 June 2022, unrep) R v Hawthorne & Ors (District Court (NSW), Craigie SC DCJ, 2016, unrep) R v McIntyre [2001] NSWSC 311 R v Tang (2006) 65 NSWLR 681 Smith v The Queen (2001) 206 CLR 650 Taub v The Queen [2017] NSWCCA 198; (2017) 95 NSWLR 388 R v Wilson [2002] OJ No 2598 (QL) — 166 CCC (3d) 294; 2002 CanLII 49653 (ON SC) Thirukkumar v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2002] FCAFC 268 Tuite v R [2015] VSCA 148; (2015) 49 VR 196 Velevski v The Queen (2002) 76 ALJR 402 Xie v R [2021] NSWCCA 1; (2021) 386 ALR 371 Texts Cited: John Wigmore, Evidence in Trials at Common Law, Chadbourn rev (1978), vol 7, §1917 Law Reform Commission, Evidence, Report No 26 (Interim), (1985), vol 1 Stephen Odgers SC, Uniform Evidence Law (16th ed, 2021, Thomson Reuters) Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Rex (Crown) TH (Accused) MT (Accused) ME (Accused) MC (Accused) Representation: Counsel: Mr R Cooley for the Crown Mr A Cassels for TH Dr B Glennon for MT Mr A Metcalfe for ME Mr R Rajalingam for MC