R v DK [2023] NSWCCA 281

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: R v DK [2023] NSWCCA 281 Hearing dates: 16 June 2023 Date of orders: 10 November 2023 Decision date: 10 November 2023 Before: Simpson AJA at [1]; Wilson J at [85]; Yehia J at [86] Decision: 1. The Director's appeal upheld; 2. The order made by the District Court on 9 March 2023 that the Crown pay costs reasonably incurred by the recipients of subpoenas addressed to LR, MB, ACLG and JC is set aside. Catchwords: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – costs – subpoena – issued by Crown to non-parties – non-parties are legal practitioners – client legal privilege asserted – non-parties seek costs of setting aside and complying with subpoenas – power of District Court in proceedings on indictment to order costs against the Crown in relation to subpoena – whether statutory power exists – whether implied power exists – distinction between compliance costs and litigation costs APPEALS – jurisdiction – Court of Criminal Appeal – where District Court awards costs to non-parties who received subpoenas issued by Crown in criminal proceedings – Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) s 5F – whether decision to grant application for costs of subpoena an interlocutory judgment or order – whether decision to grant application for costs of subpoena a decision made in the proceeding for the prosecution of the offender on indictment Legislation Cited: Costs in Criminal Cases Act 1967 (NSW) Court Suppression and Non-Publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) s 319 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) s 5F Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) ss 149E, 170, 171, 224, 227 District Court Act 1973 (NSW) ss 171, 171D District Court Rules 1973 (NSW) rr 21, 22, 53.21 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) ss 118, 119, 125 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) ss 17, 69, 75 Supreme Court (Criminal Appeal) Rules 2021 (NSW) rr 1.4, 3.5, 3.15, 4.13 Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW) r 75.3 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 1.5, 33.11 Cases Cited: Attorney General (Qld) v Holland (1912) 15 CLR 46; [1912] HCA 26 BUSB v R (2011) 80 NSWLR 170; [2011] NSWCCA 39 Director of Public Prosecutions v Deeks (1994) 34 NSWLR 523 Grassby v The Queen (1989) 168 CLR 1; [1989] HCA 45 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v District Court of New South Wales (2004) 61 NSWLR 344; [2004] NSWCA 324 Latoudis v Casey (1990) 170 CLR 534; [1990] HCA 59 Pelechowski v Registrar, Court of Appeal (NSW) (1999) 198 CLR 435; [1999] HCA 19 R v JS (No 2) [2007] NSWCCA 309; 179 A Crim R 10 R v Mosely (1992) 28 NSWLR 735 R v Obeid [2018] NSWSC 1024 R v Pavia (1993) 67 A Crim R 364 Rodden v R [2023] NSWCCA 202 Stanizzo v Complainant [2013] NSWCCA 295 Stanton v Abernathy (No 2) (1990) 19 NSWLR 656 Wright v Judge Keon-Cohen (Supreme Court (Vic), Appeal Division, 18 September 1992, unrep) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Crown (Appellant) DK (Respondent 1) DA (Respondent 2) MB (Respondent 3) JC (Respondent 4) MD (Respondent 5) LR (Respondent 6) Representation: Counsel: A Bonnor (Appellant/Crown) S Goodwin (Respondents 2, 4, 5) S Carr (Respondent 3) A Kernaghan (Respondent 6) File Number(s): 2017/344007 Decision under appeal Court or tribunal: District Court of NSW Jurisdiction: Criminal Date of Decision: 09 March 2023 Before: Williams SC DCJ