Day v Rex (No 2) [2023] NSWCCA 312

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Day v Rex (No 2) [2023] NSWCCA 312 Hearing dates: 23 June 2023 Date of orders: 6 December 2023 Decision date: 06 December 2023 Before: Simpson AJA at [1]; Lonergan J at [98]; Dhanji J at [99] Decision: 1. Leave granted to appeal against conviction. 2. Appeal allowed; convictions quashed. 3. There be a new trial. 4. S/O to the District Court Arraignments List on 15 December 2023. Catchwords: CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – embezzlement by clerk or servant – statutory construction of ss 155 and 157 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – definition of "clerk or servant" – meaning of "employed" and "collector of moneys" – where complainant had contractual relationship with a company controlled by applicant CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction – miscarriage of justice – closing address to jury by Crown Prosecutor – prohibition on comment on the accused's failure to give evidence – references to "no evidence" or a lack of "explanation" – reversal of onus of proof – further improprieties – whether improprieties could be redeemed by trial judge's directions – whether proviso to s 6(1) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) applied Legislation Cited: Bail Act 2013 (NSW), s 49 Corporations Law (repealed), s 998 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 117, 145, 155, 157, 159, 160, 178A Crimes Act 1914 (Cth), s 5 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), ss 5, 6 Criminal Law Amendment Act 1883 (NSW) (repealed), ss 87, 113, 119 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), s 164A Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 20, 50, 191 Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth), s 230 Cases Cited: Day v R [2023] NSWCCA 160 Gregg v R [2020] NSWCCA 245 HCF v The Queen [2023] HCA 35 Hofer v The Queen (2021) 274 CLR 351; [2021] HCA 36 Kalbasi v Western Australia (2018) 264 CLR 62; [2018] HCA 7 Lordianto v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (2019) 266 CLR 273; [2019] HCA 39 Mallan v Lee (1949) 80 CLR 198; [1949] HCA 48 Mraz v The Queen (1955) 93 CLR 493; [1955] HCA 59 R v J (1987) 9 NSWLR 615 R v Maharaj (1995) 85 A Crim R 374 R v Manasseh and Austin [2002] NSWCCA 27; (2002) 167 FLR 44 R v Wilford (1876) 14 SCR (NSW) 465 Registrar of Titles of the State of Western Australia v Franzon (1975) 132 CLR 611; [1975] HCA 41 Stephens v The Queen (1978) 139 CLR 315; [1978] HCA 35 The King v Grubb [1915] 2 KB 683 The King v Jacobs Group (Australia) Pty Ltd [2023] HCA 23; 97 ALJR 595 The Queen v A2; Magennis, Vaziri (2019) 269 CLR 507; [2019] HCA 35 Weiss v The Queen (2005) 224 CLR 300; [2005] HCA 81 Zhou v R [2021] NSWCCA 278 Texts Cited: Sir Alfred Stephen and Alexander Oliver, Criminal Law Manual (1883, Thomas Richards, Government Printer) Theodore F.T. Plucknett, A Concise History of the Common Law (5th Ed, 1956, Butterworth) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Titus Emanuel Day (Applicant) Rex (Crown) Representation: Counsel: B Walker SC, T Woods (Applicant) B Hatfield (Respondent)