Vu v R [2023] NSWCCA 315

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Vu v R [2023] NSWCCA 315 Hearing dates: 18 August 2023 Date of orders: 8 December 2023 Decision date: 08 December 2023 Before: Basten AJA at [1]; Walton J at [61]; Sweeney J at [62] Decision: (1) Grant the applicant leave to appeal from the aggregate sentence imposed on him in the District Court on 27 May 2022. (2) Allow the appeal and set aside the sentence. (3) Resentence the applicant to a term of imprisonment of 7 years 8 months, with a non-parole period of 4 years 8 months. Note that the sentence commenced on 27 August 2020, so that the non-parole period will expire on 26 April 2025 and the sentence will expire on 26 April 2028. The first date upon which the applicant will be eligible for parole is 26 April 2025. Catchwords: CRIME – appeal against sentence – cultivation of not less than large commercial quantity of prohibited plant – supply of large commercial quantity of cannabis leaf – conspiracy to manufacture commercial quantity of methylamphetamine –erroneous consideration of standard non-parole periods – material error – resentence required Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 193C Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), s 44, Div 1A, Pt 4 Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW), ss 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, Sch 1 Cases Cited: Goldberg v R [2018] NSWCCA 99 Hitchen v R [2023] NSWCCA 51 Minogue v Victoria (2018) 264 CLR 252; [2018] HCA 27 Muldrock v The Queen (2011) 244 CLR 120; [2011] HCA 39 R v Ohar (2004) 59 NSWLR 596; [2004] NSWCCA 83 Ryan v The Queen (2001) 206 CLR 267; [2001] HCA 21 Weininger v The Queen (2003) 212 CLR 629; [2003] HCA 14 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Duc Thang Vu (Applicant) Rex (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: P Lange (Applicant) J Styles (Respondent)