Thompson v R [2023] NSWCCA 244

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Thompson v R [2023] NSWCCA 244 Hearing dates: 31 March 2023 Decision date: 06 October 2023 Before: Beech-Jones CJ at CL at [1]; Hamill J at [30]; Ierace J at [31] Decision: (1) Extend the time for filing the notice of appeal to 19 August 2022; (2) Grant leave to appeal against conviction; (3) Dismiss the appeal against conviction; (4) Grant leave to appeal against sentence; (5) Dismiss the appeal against sentence. Catchwords: CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against conviction – Conspiracy to import commercial quantity of cocaine – Whether miscarriage occasioned by asserted incompetence of legal representatives – Whether directions to jury inadequate – Whether trial judge erred by admitting evidence of prior drug importation as tendency evidence – Whether Crown elicited coincidence evidence without giving notice – Whether trial judge erred by declining to discharge jury after foreperson inadvertently provided draft submissions on exclusion of evidence – Whether trial judge erred by declining to discharge jury following closing address of co-accused CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – Whether finding that applicant was a 'principal' in the conspiracy open on the evidence – Whether weight of imported drug treated as the primary sentencing consideration – Whether prior criminal record used to determine objective seriousness of offence – Whether life sentence manifestly excessive Legislation Cited: Commonwealth Constitution, s 80 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), ss 5, 10 Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), ss 11.5, 307.1 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 97, 98, 101, 102, 103 Supreme Court (Criminal Appeal) Rules 2021 (NSW), r 3.5 Cases Cited: Fantakis v R [2023] NSWCCA 3 Geraghty v R [2023] NSWCCA 47 Gerakiteys v The Queen (1984) 153 CLR 317; [1984] HCA 8 Hili v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Orreal v The Queen (2021) 96 ALJR 78; [2021] HCA 44 R v Barnard [2021] NSWDC 400 R v Bartle [2003] NSWCCA 329; (2003) 181 FLR 1 R v Gregory [2000] VSCA 212 R v Lembke [2020] NSWCCA 293 R v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 R v Pham (2015) 256 CLR 550; [2015] HCA 39 Taylor v R [2020] NSWCCA 355 The Queen v Bauer (a pseudonym) (2018) 266 CLR 56; [2018] HCA 40 The Queen v Darby (1982) 148 CLR 668; [1982] HCA 32 Thompson v R [2007] NSWCCA 83 TKWJ v The Queen (2002) 212 CLR 124; [2002] HCA 46 Toller v R [2021] NSWCCA 204 Wong v The Queen (2001) 207 CLR 584; [2001] HCA 64 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Hamish Thompson (Applicant) Rex (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: In person (Applicant) S Flood; M Rabsch (Respondent)