R v Allen (a pseudonym) (No 2) [2024] NSWDC 300

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Allen (a pseudonym) (No 2) [2024] NSWDC 300 Hearing dates: 3 May 2024 Date of orders: 3 May 2024 Decision date: 03 May 2024 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Haesler SC DCJ Decision: Verdict: On the limited evidence available the defendant committed the offence charged. A Community Corrections Order for a period of 2 years and 9 months is imposed Catchwords: CRIME — Child sex offences — Sexual intercourse with a child aged under 16 under authority MENTAL HEALTH — Criminal proceedings — Person unfit to be tried — Special hearing — Mental impairment — Defendant aged 89 — Suffers significant cognitive impairment — Dementia — Offender too ill to be present and excused — Defendant unfit to be tried — Principles to be applied SENTENCING — Mitigating factors — Unable to re-offend SENTENCING — Penalties — Community Corrections Order — Orders pursuant to Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 and Mental Health (Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions) Act 2020 SENTENCING — Relevant factors on sentence — Delay — Deterrence — General deterrence — Objective seriousness — Purposes of sentencing SENTENCING — Sentencing procedure — Instinctive synthesis SENTENCING — Subjective considerations on sentence — Age of offender — Significant cognitive impairment — Dementia — Health issues — Gaol would cause significant hardship — Mercy Legislation Cited: Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Mental Health (Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions) Act 2020 (NSW) Cases Cited: Cobiac v Liddy [1969] HCA 26; (1969) 119 CLR 257 Costello v R [2017] NSWCCA 32 DPP v Snow [2020] VSCA 67 Engert v R (1995) 84 A Crim R 67 Magnussen v R [2013] NSWCCA 50 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 R v Allen (a Pseudonym) [2024] NSWDC 64 R v Asplund [2014] NSWCCA 237 R v Burrell (2000) 114 A Crim R 207 R v Cattell [2019] NSWCCA 297 R v Edwards (1996) 90 A Crim R 510 R v Hornhardt [2017] NSWCCA 186 R v Kane [1974] VR 759 R v L (District Court (NSW), 17 June 1996 unrep) R v McDonald [2024] NSWDC 136 R v Miceli (1997) 94 A Crim R 327 R v Smith [2024] NSWCCA 437 R v Smith (1987) 44 SASR 587 R v Sopher (1993) 70 A Crim R 570 R v Windle [2012] NSWCCA 222 State of WA v Rayapen [2023] WASCA 55 Texts Cited: J Gleeson, "The Legal Case for Mercy", Barry O'Keefe Memorial Lecture 2024, 20 March 2024 https://www.hcourt.gov.au/assets/publications/speeches/current-justices/gleesonj/Gleeson(20March2024)BarryOKeefeLecture.pdf R G Fox, "When Justice Sheds a Tear: The Place of Mercy in Sentencing" (1999) 25 Monash University Law Review 1 Category: Sentence Parties: Gerald Allen (the accused – a pseudonym) Public Prosecutions (NSW) (Crown) Representation: Counsel: L Fernandez (for the offender) C Todd (for the Crown)