R v Zhang (No 2) [2023] NSWDC 570

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Zhang (No 2) [2023] NSWDC 570 Hearing dates: 7 December 2023 Date of orders: 14 December 2023 Decision date: 14 December 2023 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Montgomery DCJ Decision: (1) You are convicted of the offence against s 400.9(1AB) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), that between 17 January 2022 and 28 April 2022 you did deal with money, it being reasonable to suspect such money was proceeds of indictable crime, and at the time of the dealing, the value of the money was $1,000,000 or more. (2) You are sentenced to 1 year and 6 months imprisonment, commencing 13 December 2023. (3) You are to be released on 12 June 2024 upon you entering into a recognizance, without security, to be of good behaviour for a period expiring on 12 June 2025. Catchwords: CRIME – Sentence – Money laundering – Taken to be reasonable to suspect money or other property is proceeds of indictable crime – ss 400.9(1AB), 400.9(2)(c), 400.9(4), 400.9(5) Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) – Place the offence among the statutory scheme of offences – Amount dealt a primary consideration – Consistency of sentencing – Importance of general deterrence Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 254 Crimes Act 1914 (Cth), ss 16A, 17A, 19B, 19AC, 20, 20AB Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 7, 66(2), 66(3), 69(3) Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), ss 400.2AA, 400.3(1), 400.3(1A), 400.3(1B), 400.3(2A), 400.3(2B), 400.3(3), 400.4(1), 400.4(1B), 400.4(2), 400.4(3), 400.5(1), 400.5(2), 400.5(3), 400.8(1), 400.8(2), 400.8(3), 400.9(1AA), 400.9(1AB), 400.9(1), 400.9(1A), 400.9(2), 400.9(4), 400.9(5). 400.10, 400.11, 400.12, 400.13 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 191 Cases Cited: Akoum v The King [2023] WASCA 102 Hili v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Lai Yean Wong v R [2013] VSCA 52 Milne v R (2012) 259 FLR 42; [2012] NSWCCA 24 Nguyen v R [2019] NSWCCA 44 R v Ansari (2007) 70 NSWLR 89; [2007] NSWCCA 204 R v De Simoni (1981) 147 CLR 383; [1981] HCA 31 R v Hoang [2022] NSWDC 193 R v Lim [2023] NSWDC 238 R v Milne (No 1) (2010) 260 FLR 166; [2010] NSWSC 932 R v Minh Kha Le [2020] NSWDC 89 R v Nguyen [2020] NSWDC 367 R v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 R v Whittall [2019] NSWDC 606 R v Yi-Hua Jiao [2015] NSWCCA 95 Category: Sentence Parties: Rex (Crown) Liang Zhang (Offender) Representation: Counsel: Ms Satkunarajah (Crown) Mr Thomas (Offender)