R v McDonald (a pseudonym) [2024] NSWDC 265

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v McDonald (a pseudonym) [2024] NSWDC 265 Hearing dates: 2, 3 and 4 July 2024 Date of orders: 4 July 2024 Decision date: 04 July 2024 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Sutherland SC DCJ Decision: The Crown application to lead tendency evidence is refused, at [60] – [62]. Catchwords: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — Sexual offence proceedings — Admissibility of tendency evidence in proceedings involving child sexual offences — Application of s 97A — Presumption that tendency evidence in child sexual assault proceedings will have significant probative value — Lapse of over three decades between alleged offending and uncharged tendency acts sought to be led, together with acts having occurred when accused was a child, found to constitute "exceptional circumstances" under s 97A(5) ­— Application to lead tendency evidence rejected. Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: BC v R [2019] NSWCCA 111 Davidson (a pseudonym) v R [2024] NSWCCA 60 HB v The Queen [2011] VSCA 295 House v King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Hughes v The Queen (2017) 92 ALJR 52 McPhillamy v The Queen (2018) 361 ALR 13 R v Bauer (a pseudonym) (2018) 92 ALJR 846 R v Clarke [2023] NSWCCA 123 R v Constant (2016) 126 SASR 1; [2016] SASCFC 87 R v Cox [2007] EWSA Crim 3365 R v Hanson [2005] 2 Cr App R 21 R v M [2006] EWCA Crim 3408 R v SK [2011] NSWCCA 292 Regina v Thomas Douglas Watkins [2005] NSWCCA 164; 153 A Crim R 434 RH v R [2014] NSWCCA 71 TB v R [2019] NSWCCA 224 Texts Cited: Second Reading Speech, Evidence Amendment (Tendency and Coincidence) Bill 2020 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) (Crown) Henry McDonald (a pseudonym) (Accused) Representation: Counsel: