Tasdik v R [2024] NSWCCA 195

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Tasdik v R [2024] NSWCCA 195 Hearing dates: 20 September 2024 Date of orders: 06 November 2024 Decision date: 06 November 2024 Before: Bell CJ at [1]; Davies J at [2]; Wright J at [3] Decision: (1) The applicant has leave to appeal. (2) The appeal is allowed. (3) The aggregate sentence imposed by the District Court at Parramatta on 16 February 2024 is quashed. (4) The applicant is sentenced to an aggregate sentence of 3 years 6 months commencing on 21 December 2023 and expiring on 20 June 2027, with a non-parole period of 1 year 11 months expiring on 20 November 2025. Catchwords: CRIME – appeals – appeal against sentence – parity principle – whether fact that participants in the same criminal enterprise charged with significantly different offences precluded application of parity principle – despite differences in the charges and the inability of the Court to review exercise of prosecutorial discretion, parity principle applies but the effect to be given to it may vary – whether aggregate sentence gave rise to a justifiable sense of grievance – in the absence of a sufficient explanation of the application of the parity principle, there was a justifiable sense of grievance – the parity principle can require imposition of a sentence that would otherwise be less than adequate, provided that the sentence is not so low as to amount to an afront to the administration of justice. Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 59(2), 61, 86(2)(a); 86(3), 99(2) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5(1)(c) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 3A, 10A, 21A, 53A(2) Cases Cited: Dib v R [2023] NSWCCA 243 DL v The Queen (2018) 265 CLR 215; [2018] HCA 32 Green v The Queen; Quinn v The Queen (2011) 244 CLR 462; [2011] HCA 49 Hiron v R [2018] NSWCCA 10 Jimmy v The Queen (2010) 77 NSWLR 540; [2010] NSWCCA 60 Kentwell v The Queen (2014) 252 CLR 601; [2014] HCA 37 Krakouer v R [1999] WASCA 147; (1999) 107 A Crim R 408 Lowe v The Queen (1984) 154 CLR 606; [1984] HCA 46 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Nguyen v The King [2024] NSWCCA 178 Pham v The Queen [2009] NSWCCA 25 R v Armstrong [2001] NSWCCA 77 R v Diamond (NSWCCA, 18 February 1993, unreported) R v Formosa [2005] NSWCCA 363 R v Gibson (1991) 56 A Crim R 1 R v Howard (1992) 29 NSWLR 242 R v Isamunadar [2002] NSWCCA 477; (2002) 136 A Crim R 206 R v Nguyen [2005] NSWCCA 362; (2005) 157 A Crim R 80 R v Stanbouli [2003] NSWCCA 355; (2003) 141 A Crim R 531 Rees v R [2012] NSWCCA 47 Postiglione v The Queen (1997) 189 CLR 295; [1997] HCA 26 Wong v The Queen (2001) 207 CLR 584; [2001] HCA 64 Wurramarbra v The Queen (1979) 28 ALR 176; 1 A Crim R 291 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Sameen Tasdik (Applicant) Director of Public Prosecutions (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: I Lloyd KC with R Deppeler (Applicant) E Wilkins SC (Respondent)