R v Burns [2024] NSWDC 173

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Burns [2024] NSWDC 173 Hearing dates: 29 February 2024 Date of orders: 22 March 2024 Decision date: 22 March 2024 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Sutherland SC DCJ Decision: Head sentence of 6 years with a non-parole period of 4 years. Catchwords: CRIME — Child sex offences — Sexual intercourse with child >10 <14 – Intentional sexual touching child >10 <16 — Intentional sexual touching child <10 — Child abuse material — Production / Dissemination / Possession. CRIME — Child sex offences — Offender was a friend of the families of the victims, regularly in attendance in the family homes — Offending conduct occurred in victim's homes — Offender claims offending conduct occurred while he was heavily intoxicated. SENTENCING — No prior criminal history — Abuse of trust and authority. Legislation Cited: Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Crimes (High Risk Offenders) Act 2006 (NSW) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Cases Cited: Bugmy v The Queen [2013] HCA 37 Hockley v R [2023] NSWCCA 285 Lai v R [2021] NSWCCA 217 R v Barnes [2023] NSWDC 33 R v CMB [2014] NSWCCA 5 R v Duncan [2022] NSWDC 543 R v G [2008] UKHL 37; [2009] 1AC92 R v MJ [2023] NSWCCA 306 R v NC [2020] NSWDC 547 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54 R v PG [2020] NSWDC 144 R v Shiel [2022] NSWDC 648 R v Yates (a pseudonym) [2021] NSWDC 701 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Sentence Parties: Crown David Andrew Burns Representation: Counsel: H Fitzhardinge (Crown) M Fernando (Offender)