R v Allen (a pseudonym) [2024] NSWDC 64

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Allen (a pseudonym) [2024] NSWDC 64 Hearing dates: 4 – 7 March 2024 Date of orders: 14 March 2024 Decision date: 14 March 2024 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Haesler SC DCJ Decision: Counts 1 to 7: Not guilty Count 8: On the limited evidence available, the defendant committed the offence charged Catchwords: CRIME — Child sex offences — Indecent assault person under 16 years of age — Multiple counts —Three complainants CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — Judicial directions — Tendency — Complaint evidence – Long delay — Absent witnesses — Significant disadvantage because of delay and incapacity — Good character — Assessment of evidence — Application of principle MENTAL HEALTH — Criminal proceedings — Person unfit to be tried — Special hearing — Mental impairment —Defendant aged 89 — Suffers significant cognitive impairment — Dementia — Alleged offences against three children — Accused too ill to be present and excused — Defendant unfit to be tried — Principles to be applied Legislation Cited: Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW); s15A Crimes Act 1900 (NSW); ss 61A, 61D, 61E, 66C, 77, 294 and 578A Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW); ss 292A, 292B, 292C and 293A Evidence Act 1995 (NSW); ss 144, 161A and 198 Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020 (NSW); ss 54, 58(8) and 59 Cases Cited: Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; (2003) 214 CLR 118 IMM v The Queen [2016] HCA 14; (2016) 257 CLR 300 The Queen v Bauer [2018] HCA 40; (2018) 266 CLR 56 The Queen v GW [2016] HCA 6; (2016) 258 CLR 108 TO v R [2017] NSWCCA 12 W v R [2014] NSWCCA 110 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Gerald Allen (the accused – a pseudonym) Public Prosecutions (NSW) (Crown) Representation: Counsel: L Fernandez (for the accused) C Todd (for the Crown)