Batak v R [2024] NSWCCA 66

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Batak v R [2024] NSWCCA 66 Hearing dates: 4 December 2023 Date of orders: 10 May 2024 Decision date: 10 May 2024 Before: Kirk JA, Wilson and Ierace JJ at [1] Decision: (1) To the extent necessary grant leave to appeal, other than with respect to ground 3. (2) Dismiss the appeal with respect to count 2 on the indictment. (3) Uphold the appeal with respect to count 1 on the indictment. (4) Quash the applicant's conviction on count 1. (5) A retrial is on count 1 is to be had. (6) The matter is listed in the arraignment list of the Supreme Court on Friday 7 June 2024 to fix a fresh trial date. (7) Pending any application for release, bail is refused. Catchwords: CRIME — Complicity — Differences between accessorial liability, joint criminal enterprise, and extended joint criminal enterprise — Whether and to what extent common law principles of complicity apply to murder under s 18(1)(a) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) — Whether accessorial liability is consistent with charge of constructive murder CRIME — Constructive murder — History thereof — Decision in R v Sharah (1992) 30 NSWLR 292 explained and distinguished — No generic requirement that a participant in a joint criminal enterprise to commit the foundational offence foresee possibility of the act or omission causing death JURY DIRECTIONS — Directions as to constructive murder and accessorial liability — Direction as to need for foresight of act causing death erroneous but not establishing a miscarriage of justice — Directions only prejudicial to prosecution case — Necessity of taking directions in context — Directions regarding lack of prior convictions reflected understanding between judge and parties CRIME — Unreasonable verdict — Unavailability of one chosen pathway to conviction does not render verdict unreasonable — Verdict not unreasonable CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — Whether to order retrial under s 8(1) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) — Factorial approach — Seriousness of murder charge — Strong case in joint criminal enterprise — Potential case not significantly different to case made at trial — Legal issues raised difficult — Retrial ordered — Whether sentence for foundational offence should be set aside Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) ss 4, 18, 52, 97(2), 98, 346, 351, 580E Crimes and Other Acts (Amendment) Act 1974 (NSW) s 5(a) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) ss 5(1)(a), 6(1), 8(1) Criminal Law Amendment Act 1883 (NSW) s 9 Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (SA) ss 11 and 12A Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) s 38 Explosive Substances Act 1883 (UK) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) s 4 Statute of Westminster 1275, 3 Edw 1 c 5 Supreme Court (Criminal Appeal) Rules 2021 (NSW) r 4.15 Cases Cited: Beattie v R [2021] NSWCCA 291 Castagna v R [2019] NSWCCA 114 Churchill v Walton [1967] 1 All ER 497 Clayton v The Queen [2006] HCA 58; (2006) 81 ALJR 439 Coal-Heaver's Case (1768) 1 Leach 64 Coleman v Power [2004] HCA 39; (2004) 220 CLR 1 Coskun v R [2024] NSWCCA 67 CSR Limited v Eddy [2005] HCA 64; (2005) 226 CLR 1 Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland v Maxwell [1978] 3 All ER 1140 Edwards v The Queen [2021] HCA 28; (2021) 273 CLR 585 Filippou v The Queen [2015] HCA 29; (2015) 256 CLR 47 Giorgianni v The Queen [1985] HCA 29; (1985) 156 CLR 473 Green v The Queen [1971] HCA 55; (1971) 126 CLR 28 Handlen v The Queen [2011] HCA 51; (2011) 245 CLR 282 Hasler v Singtel Optus Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 266; (2014) 87 NSWLR 609 HCF v The Queen [2023] HCA 35; (2023) 97 ALJR 978 Hofer v The Queen [2021] HCA 36; (2021) 274 CLR 351 IL v The Queen [2017] HCA 27; (2017) 262 CLR 268 Johns v The Queen [1980] HCA 3; (1980) 143 CLR 108 Johnson v Youden [1950] 1 KB 544 Lazarus v Independent Commission Against Corruption [2017] NSWCA 37; (2017) 94 NSWLR 36 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; (1994) 181 CLR 487 McAuliffe v The Queen [1995] HCA 37; (1995) 183 CLR 108 Melbourne v The Queen [1999] HCA 32; (1999) 198 CLR 1 Miller v The Queen [2016] HCA 30; (2016) 259 CLR 380 Mitchell v The King [2023] HCA 5; (2023) 276 CLR 299 Osland v The Queen [1998] HCA 75; (1998) 197 CLR 316 Parker v The Queen [1997] HCA 15; (1997) 186 CLR 494 R v Batcheldor [2014] NSWCCA 252; (2014) 249 A Crim R 461 R v Brown and Brian [1949] VLR 177 R v Coskun (No 5) [2022] NSWSC 1216 R v DJD and Murdoch [2023] NSWSC 222; (2023) 111 NSWLR 193 R v Downs (1985) 3 NSWLR 312 R v Horsey (1862) 176 ER 129 R v IL [2016] NSWCCA 51 R v Jackson (1857) 7 Cox's CC 357 R v Jacobs [2004] NSWCCA 462; (2004) 151 A Crim R 452 R v Jogee [2017] AC 387 R v Johns [1978] 1 NSWLR 282 R v R (1995) 63 SASR 417 R v Radalyski (1899) 24 VLR 687 R v Russell [1933] VLR 59 R v Sharah (1992) 30 NSWLR 292 R v Spathis [2001] NSWCCA 476 R v Surridge (1942) 42 SR (NSW) 278 R v Vandine [1970] 1 NSWLR 252 Reg v Creamer [1966] 1 QB 72 Ryan v The Queen [1967] HCA 2; (1967) 121 CLR 205 Simic v The Queen [1980] HCA 25; (1980) 144 CLR 319 The Queen v Taufahema [2007] HCA 11; (2007) 228 CLR 232 Wilson v The Queen [1992] HCA 31; (1992) 174 CLR 313 Yorke v Lucas [1985] HCA 65; (1985) 158 CLR 661 [Decision Restricted] [2022] NSWCCA 259 Texts Cited: JW Cecil Turner MC LLD, Russell on Crime (Stevens & Sons London, 12th ed, 1964) Sir Edward Coke, The Third Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England Concerning High Treason and Other Pleas of the Crown and Criminal Causes (W Clarke & Sons, 1797) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Cem Batak (Applicant) Crown (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: