AKB v R [2024] NSWCCA 169

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: AKB v R [2024] NSWCCA 169 Hearing dates: 22 September 2023 Date of orders: 6 September 2024 Decision date: 06 September 2024 Before: Gleeson JA at [1] Walton J at [113] Dhanji J at [114] Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal, including an extension of time. (2) Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIME – appeals – appeal against conviction –murder – death by thermal injury – where Crown relied on alternative acts causing death – extent to which jury unanimity required – where standard unanimity direction given – where direction given with respect to alternative intentional acts causing death – whether failure to direct jury as to requirement of unanimity as to specific act causing death Legislation Cited: Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW), s 15A Court Suppression and Non-Publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW), ss 7, 8(1)(e) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 18 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5(1)(a) Supreme Court (Criminal Appeal) Rules 2021 (NSW), r 4.15 Cases Cited: Chapman v The Queen [2013] NSWCCA 91; (2013) 232 A Crim R 500 Country Care Group Pty Ltd v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (2020) 275 FCR 342; [2020] FCAFC 30 Fermanis v The State of Western Australia (2007) 33 WAR 434; [2007] WASCA 84 Hamilton (a pseudonym) v The Queen [2021] HCA 33; (2021) 290 A Crim R 570 Johnson v Miller (1937) 59 CLR 467; [1937] HCA 77 Lane v R (2013) 241 A Crim R 321; [2013] NSWCCA 317 Lane v R [2017] NSWCCA 46 Lane v The Queen (2018) 265 CLR 196; [2018] HCA 28 Magnus v R (2013) 41 VR 612; [2013] VSCA 163 Pratten v R [2014] NSWCCA 117 Question of Law Reserved No 1 of 2022 [2023] SASCA 109 Ribbon v The Queen (2019) 134 SASR 328; [2019] SASCFC 130 R v AKB (No 8) [2018] NSWSC 1628 R v Boreman [2000] 1 All ER 307 R v Brown (1984) 79 Cr App R 115 R v Cramp [1999] NSWCCA 324; (1999) 110 A Crim R 198 R v Heaney (2009) 22 VR 164; (2009) 194 A Crim R 562 R v Klamo (2008) 18 VR 64; [2008] VSCA 75 R v McCarthy (2015) 124 SASR 190; [2015] SASCFC 177 R v Mead [2002] 1 NZLR 594 R v More (1988) 86 Cr App R 234 R v Walsh [2002] VSCA 98; (2002) 131 A Crim R 299 Shepherd v The Queen (1990) 170 CLR 573; [1990] HCA 56 S v The Queen (1989) 168 CLR 266; [1989] HCA 66 Zandipour v The Queen (2017) 53 VR 256; [2017] VSCA 179 Category: Principal judgment Parties: AKB (Applicant) Crown (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: T F Woods (Applicant) E Balodis (Respondent)