Wells v R [2024] NSWCCA 8

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Wells v R [2024] NSWCCA 8 Hearing dates: 24 November 2023 Date of orders: 14 February 2024 Decision date: 14 February 2024 Before: Ward P at [1]; Button J at [120]; Ierace J at [121] Decision: 1. Extend time for the filing of the notice of appeal to 29 September 2023 and give leave for the appeal against sentence. 2. Uphold ground 3 of the appeal. 3. Quash the order of the sentencing judge in relation to the period of disqualification for sequence 4. 4. Disqualify the applicant for 1 year and 92 days. 5. Confirm the disqualification period for sequence 3 (s 166 matter), to be served concurrently with the disqualification period the subject of order 4 above. 6. Otherwise dismiss the appeal against sentence. Catchwords: SENTENCING – appeal against sentence – aggravating factors – dangerous driving occasioning death – moral culpability – objective seriousness – where the applicant was "showing off" his vehicle; grossly disregarded the speed limit and was found to have engaged in aggressive driving Legislation Cited: Crime (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), s 21A Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 52A Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), s 166 Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW), ss 205, 206B Cases Cited: Battersby v R [2018] NSWCCA 141 Baumer v The Queen (1988) 166 CLR 51; [1988] HCA 67 Bombardieri v R [2010] NSWCCA 161 Conte v R [2018] NSWCCA 209 DS v R; DM v R (2022) 109 NSWLR 82; [2022] NSWCCA 156 Gonzalez v R [2006] NSWCCA 4 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Kerr v R [2016] NSWCCA 218 Lehn v R (2016) 93 NSWLR 205; [2016] NSWCCA 255 Magro v R [2020] NSWCCA 25 McClelland v R [2019] NSWCCA 59 Moodie v R [2020] NSWCCA 160; (2020) 284 A Crim R 87 Mulato v R [2006] NSWCCA 282 Nealon v R [2021] NSWCCA 286 Norouzi v R [2020] NSWCCA 237 Paterson v R [2021] NSWCCA 273 R v Borkowski [2009] NSWCCA 102; (2009) 195 A Crim R 1 R v Bortic [2021] NSWCCA 138 R v Eaton [2023] NSWCCA 125 R v Elkassir [2013] NSWCCA 181 R v McNaughton (2006) 66 NSWLR 566; [2006] NSWCCA 242 R v Shashati [2018] NSWCCA 167 R v Tadman [2001] NSWCCA 225 R v Wells [2022] NSWDC 748 R v Wright [2013] NSWCCA 82 Ryan v The Queen (2001) 206 CLR 267; [2001] HCA 21 Salafia v R [2015] NSWCCA 141 SB v R [2022] NSWCCA 164 Simpson v R [2019] NSWCCA 137 Smith v R [2011] NSWCCA 290 Tepania v R [2018] NSWCCA 247 TM v R [2018] NSWCCA 88 Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465; [1988] HCA 14 Whyte v R (2002) 55 NSWLR 252; [2002] NSWCCA 343 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Michael James Wells (Applicant) Rex (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: G Bashir SC (Applicant) M England (Respondent)