R v Kirsten (a pseudonym) [2024] NSWDC 401

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Kirsten (a pseudonym) [2024] NSWDC 401 Hearing dates: 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 August 2024 Date of orders: 9 August 2024 Decision date: 09 August 2024 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Haesler SC DCJ Decision: Accused — Charged with contempt of court — Detained in custody — To appear via audio visual link until verdict — Convicted of contempt of court — Penalty for contempt — sentenced to imprisonment until the rising of the court After trial guilty verdict — Detention application granted — Bail refused After trial guilty verdict — Adjourned for sentence Catchwords: CRIME — Child abduction — Contempt of court CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — Trial — Jury — Self-represented accused CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — Procedural and other rulings — Contempt of court — Insulting conduct — Summary hearing for contempt — Persistent disobedience — Attempts to disrupt proceedings — Talking over judge and prosecutor — Failure to ask questions — Demeaning questions and comments to witnesses — Penalty for contempt CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — Persistent contempt of court — Ensuring a fair trial — Sovereign citizen — Refusal to accept jurisdiction of court — Dealing with contempts by accused in a jury trial — Perverting miscarriage — Ensuring continuation of the trial — Ensuring procedural fairness in the face of deliberate and persistent contempt of court CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — Procedural and other rulings — Refusal of adjournment MENTAL HEALTH — Criminal proceedings — No question that accused fit to be tried SENTENCING — Penalties — Contempt — Rising of the court CRIME — Bail — Detention application — Full-time custodial sentence inevitable Legislation Cited: Bail Act 2013 (NSW) Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) District Court Act 1973 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Evidence (Audio and Audio Visual Links) Act 1998 (NSW) Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020 (NSW) Cases Cited: Amagwula v R [2019] NSWCCA 15 Attorney-General v Davis and Weldon (Court of Appeal (NSW), 23 July 1980 unrep) Bradley v The Crown [2020] QCA 252 Craig v South Australia [1995] HCA 58; (1995) 184 CLR 163 Crofts v The Queen [1996] HCA 22; 186 CLR 427 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy [2000] HCA 63; (2000) 205 CLR 337 Ex parte Beltanto; Re Prior [1963] SR (NSW) 190 Ex parte; Tuckerman Re Nash [1970] 3 NSWR 23 Island Maritime Limited v Filipowski (2006) 226 CLR 328 Kenny v Ritter [2009] SASC 139 Lewis v Judge Ogden [1984] HCA 28; (1984) 153 CLR 682 MacPherson v The Queen [1981] HCA 46; (1981) 147 CLR 512 Maher v R [2021] NSWDC 212 Mahmood v Western Australia [2008] HCA 1; (2008) 232 CLR 397 Maric v R (1978) 52 ALJR 631 Michel v The Queen [2009] UKPC 41; [2010] 1 WLR 879 Mohareb v Palmer [2017] NSWCA 281 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court v Fajloun [2016] NSWSC 927 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court v Hall [2008] NSWSC 994 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court v Simon Smiley (Supreme Court (NSW), 8 March 2005 unrep) R v Allan Dennis Pena; R v RY [2007] NSWDC 190 R v Anastasiou (aka Peters) (1991) 21 NSWLR 394 R v Davison (1821) 4 B & Aid 329 R v Zorad (1990) 19 NSWLR 91 Rich v Attorney General (1999) 103 A Crim R 261 Royal Guardian Mortgage Management Pty Ltd v Nguyen [2016] NSWCA 88 RPS v The Queen [2000] HCA 3; (2000) 199 CLR 620 The Queen v. Apostilides [1984] HCA 38; (1984) 154 CLR 563 Texts Cited: Judicial Commission of NSW, "Duty of the trial judge", Criminal Trial Courts Bench Book at [1-810] (Online), 12 August 2024 https://www.judcom.nsw.gov.au/publications/benchbks/criminal/self-represented_accused.html Category: Principal judgment Parties: Kirsten (a pseudonym) (the accused) Public Prosecutions (NSW) (Crown) Representation: Solicitors: R Taylor Solicitor Advocate for Public Prosecutions (NSW) (Crown)