R v Pulbrook; R v Smith [2023] NSWDC 400

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Pulbrook; R v Smith [2023] NSWDC 400 Hearing dates: 21 September 2023 Date of orders: 21 September 2023 Decision date: 21 September 2023 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Haesler SC DCJ Decision: Application refused – Leading questions permitted Catchwords: CRIME — Violent offences — Offensive weapon — intimidation — Two co-accused with similar defences CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — Jury trial — Cross-examination EVIDENCE — Rules of evidence — Application EVIDENCE — Witness evidence — Two co-accused —Cross-examination — Leading questions — s 42 Evidence Act 1995 — Crown application to restrict use of leading questions in cross-examination of co-accused TRIAL PROCEDURE — Objection to leading questions — Application refused — Procedural measures can be taken to prevent unfairness to Crown — additional cross-examination allowed Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 42 Cases Cited: Kirk v Industrial Court New South Wales (2010) 239 CLR 531; [2010] HCA 1 R v A2, R v KM, R v Vaziri (No. 14) [2015] NSWSC 1544 R v A2, R v KM, R v Vaziri (No. 21) [2016] NSWSC 24 R v Droudis (No. 6) [2016] NSWSC 1263 R v Merritt [2023] NSWDC 339 R v Rogerson [2016] NSWSC 110 R v Xie (No. 13) [2015] NSWSC 2125 Stack v State of Western Australia (2004) 29 WAR 526; [2004] WASCA 300 Texts Cited: R Weinstein, J Anderson, J Marychurch and J Roy, Uniform Evidence in Australia (3rd ed, 2020, LexisNexis) Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Holly May Pulbrook (accused) Nathan Smith (co-accused) Director of Public Prosecutions (Crown) Representation: Counsel: B Hart (for Pulbrook) J Hibbard (for Smith) C Todd (for Crown)