R v Kassouh [2024] NSWDC 441

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Kassouh [2024] NSWDC 441 Hearing dates: 20 September 2024 Date of orders: 20 September 2024 Decision date: 20 September 2024 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Haesler SC DCJ Decision: Aggregate imprisonment sentence of 4 years 6 months imprisonment with a non-parole period of 2 years 8 months Catchwords: CRIME — Domestic violence — Stalking or intimidation — Break, enter and commit serious indictable offence — Circumstances of aggravation CRIME — Violent offences — Assault occasioning actual bodily harm — Detain for advantage — Choking without consent — Use offensive weapon to commit indictable offence CRIME — Violent offences — Back up offence — Robbery — Not guilty CRIME — Violent offences — Common assault — Finding of guilt CRIME — Domestic violence — Breach of Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders — Finding of guilt — Back up offence TRAFFIC LAW AND TRANSPORT — Traffic law — Offences — Driving recklessly furiously — Back up offence withdrawn and dismissed SENTENCING — Aggravating factors — Presence of children — Record of previous convictions — Breach of Apprehended Domestic Orders SENTENCING — Guidelines for sentencing SENTENCING — Penalties — Imprisonment SENTENCING — Relevant factors on sentence — Deterrence — General deterrence — Objective seriousness — Purposes of sentencing — Moral culpability SENTENCING — Sentencing procedure — Sentence after trial — Instinctive synthesis — Assistance in the facilitation of trial procedure SENTENCING — Subjective considerations on sentence — Acquired Brian injury — Mental Health Disorders —Adjustment Disorder — Drug addition — Harsh discipline in childhood Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: Browning v R [2015] NSWCCA 147 Cahyadi v R [2007] NSWCCA 1 Cherry v R [2017] NSWCCA 150 Christov v R [2009] NSWCCA 168 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v De La Rosa (2010) 79 NSWLR 1; [2010] NSWCCA 194 Eaton v R [2023] NSWCCA 125 Engert v R (1995) 84 A Crim R 67 Hamid v R [2006] NSWCCA 302 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Mill v The Queen [1988] HCA 70; (1988) 166 CLR 59 Muldrock v The Queen [2011] HCA 39; (2011) 244 CLR 120 Munda v Western Australia [2013] HCA 38; (2013) 249 CLR 600 Osland v The Queen [1998] HCA 75; (1998) 197 CLR 316 Paterson v R [2021] NSWCCA 273 Postiglione v The Queen [1997] HCA 26; (1997) 189 CLR 295 Queen v Pham [2015] HCA 59; (2015) 256 CLR 550 R v Dunn [2004] NSWCCA 346 R v Knight [2005] NSWCCA 253 R v MAK; R v MSK [2006] NSWCCA 381 (2006) 167 A Crim R 159 R v Simpson [2001] NSWCCA 534; 53 NSWLR 704 Tepania v R [2018] NSWCCA 247 The Queen v Kilic [2016] HCA 48; (2016) 259 CLR 256 Texts Cited: W Wan, S Poynton and D Weatherburn, "Does Parole Supervision Reduce the Risk of Re-offending?" (2016) 49 Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology 497 Category: Sentence Parties: Ahmad Kassouh (the offender) Public Prosecutions (NSW) (Crown) Representation: Counsel: G K Hoare (for the offender)