Steel (a pseudonym) v R [2023] NSWCCA 326

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Steel (a pseudonym) v R [2023] NSWCCA 326 Hearing dates: 23 October 2023 Date of orders: 15 December 2023 Decision date: 15 December 2023 Before: Payne JA at [1]; Fagan J at [157]; Sweeney J at [161] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal against conviction granted. (2) Appeal against conviction dismissed. (3) Leave to appeal against sentence granted. (4) Appeal against sentence allowed. The sentence imposed on 13 July 2022 is quashed and in lieu thereof the following sentence is imposed: (a) The offender is sentenced to an aggregate term of imprisonment of 6 years and 6 months with an aggregate non-parole period of 4 years to commence on 10 August 2020. (b) The following indicative sentences are identified: (i) Count 1: Imprisonment for 4 years with a non-parole period of 2 years and 6 months. (ii) Count 2: Imprisonment for 4 years with a non-parole period of 2 years and 6 months. (iii) Count 3: Imprisonment for 5 years with a non-parole period of 3 years. (5) The offender is first eligible for parole on 9 August 2024 Catchwords: CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against conviction — Unreasonable verdict — judge alone trial — guilty verdicts on three counts — not guilty verdict on one count — whether reasonable doubt as to guilt of applicant on whole of the evidence CRIME — Appeals — Appeal against sentence — Manifest excess — whether consideration of intellectual disability sufficiently reflected in sentence Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) ss 61M and 66DA Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) s 21A Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) ss 5(1) and 6(1) Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) s 306U Cases Cited: AH v R [2019] NSWCCA 152 AJ v R (2022) 110 NSWLR 339; [2022] NSWCCA 136 Barney v R [2023] NSWCCA 85 Bugmy v The Queen (2013) 249 CLR 571; [2013] HCA 37 Dansie v The Queen (2022) 274 CLR 651; [2022] HCA 25 DS v The Queen (2022) 109 NSWLR 82; [2022] NSWCCA 156 Filippou v The Queen (2015) 256 CLR 47; [2015] HCA 29 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Hughes v R [2018] NSWCCA 2 JM v The Queen [2014] NSWCCA 297; (2014) 246 A Crim R 528 Kentwell v The Queen (2014) 252 CLR 601; [2014] HCA 37 Libke v The Queen (2007) 230 CLR 559; [2007] HCA 30 M v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 487 McTague v R [2020] NSWCCA 83 MFA v The Queen (2002) 213 CLR 606; [2002] HCA 53 MLP v R [2014] NSWCCA 183 Muldrock v The Queen (2011) 244 CLR 120; [2011] HCA 39 Obeid v R (2017) 96 NSWLR 155; [2017] NSWCCA 221 Pell v The Queen (2020) 268 CLR 123; [2020] HCA 12 R v Guode (2020) 267 CLR 141; [2020] HCA 8 R v MAK [2006] NSWCCA 381; (2006) 167 A Crim R 159 R v Markuleski (2001) 52 NSWLR 82; [2001] NSWCCA 290 SKA v The Queen (2011) 243 CLR 400; [2011] HCA 13 Slattery v R [2023] NSWCCA 117 The Queen v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308; [2016] HCA 35 Category: Principal judgment Parties: John Steel (a pseudonym) (Applicant) Rex (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S Fraser (Applicant) M Millward (Respondent)