R v Snounou (No 1) [2023] NSWDC 583

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Snounou (No 1) [2023] NSWDC 583 Hearing dates: 7 – 10 November 2023 13 - 14 November 2023 Date of orders: 15 November 2023 Decision date: 15 November 2023 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Sutherland SC DCJ Decision: At [132] - [135]. The evidence is inadmissible as not falling within the exception provided for in s 79(1) of the Evidence Act. Were the view formed that the evidence were admissible under s 79(1) it would be rejected pursuant to s 137 of the Evidence Act. Catchwords: EVIDENCE — Criminal trial — Admissibility — Expert opinion evidence — no confirmatory tests undertaken — chemical sample used in presumptive testing destroyed — presumptive testing generated positive result for border-controlled pre-cursor — whether opinion evidence adduced from a forensic chemist of accuracy of presumptive testing is admissible — evidence from defence expert that false positive still possible Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Criminal Code Regulations 2019 (Cth) Cases Cited: Dasreef Pty Ltd v Hawchar (2011) 243 CLR 588; [2011] HCA 21 Honeysett v The Queen [2014] HCA 29 IMM v the Queen (2016) 257 CLR 300; [2016] HCA 14 Lang v The Queen [2023] HCA 29 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705; [2001] NSWCA 305 R v Bowie (No 1) [2022] NSWSC 1502 Ramsay v Watson (1961) 108 CLR 642 Texts Cited: Dixon, 'Science and Judicial Proceedings' in Crennan and Gummow (Eds) 'Jesting Pilate' 3rd ed 2019 124 Macquarie Dictionary (3rd edition revised, 2001 at 1054) Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Michael Snounou (Accused) Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions Representation: Counsel: T Hammond (Accused) D Jordan and K Curry (CDPP)