WW v R [2023] NSWCCA 311

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: WW v R [2023] NSWCCA 311 Hearing dates: 27 October 2023 Date of orders: 7 December 2023 Decision date: 07 December 2023 Before: Kirk JA at [1] Wilson J at [2] Fagan J at [110] Decision: 1. Leave to appeal against sentence granted. 2. Appeal is dismissed. Catchwords: CRIME – SENTENCE – appeal against sentence – historical child sexual assaults – two victims aged about 6 to 12 years – ongoing course of conduct over a period of years – familial relationship between applicant and victims – lengthy delay between offending and prosecution – inappropriateness of grounds of appeal complaining of weight given to particular features – relevance of applicant's reactive depression developed as a consequence of prosecution – relevance of claims by applicant of childhood abuse – no error disclosed Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 78K, 79, 81, 81A, 578A Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW), ss 6, 15A(1)(b) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 5(1), 33, 44(2) Cases Cited: Ahmad v R [2021] NSWCCA 30 Aslan v R [2014] NSWCCA 114 Bland v R (2014) 241 A Crim R 51; [2014] NSWCCA 82 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v De La Rosa (2010) 79 NSWLR 1; [2010] NSWCCA 194 Dousha v R [2008] NSWCCA 263 Hillsley v R [2013] NSWCCA 78 Holyoak v R (1995) 82 A Crim R 502 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 KT v R (2008) 182 A Crim R 571; [2008] NSWCCA 51 Magnuson v R [2013] NSWCCA 50 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 R v ABS [2005] NSWCCA 255 R v AGR (Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW), 24 July 1998, unrep) R v Baker [2000] NSWCCA 85 R v Broad (Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW), 30 March 1984, unrep) R v GDP (1991) 53 A Crim R 112 R v Smith [1964] Crim LR 70 R v Smith (1997) 26 MVR 353; (1997) 95 A Crim R 373 R v Tanudjaja [2002] NSWCCA 467 RP v The Queen (2016) 259 CLR 641; [2016] HCA 53 R v Whyte (2002) 55 NSWLR 252; [2002] NSWCCA 343 Tamer v R [2020] NSWCCA 333 Yang v R (2012) 219 A Crim R 550; [2012] NSWCCA 49 Zhao v R [2016] NSWCCA 199 Zreika v R (2012) 223 A Crim R 460; [2012] NSWCCA 44 Category: Principal judgment Parties: WW (Applicant) Rex (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: L Fernandez (Applicant) E Wilkins SC (Respondent)