Macdonald v R [2024] NSWCCA 198

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Macdonald v R [2024] NSWCCA 198 Hearing dates: 16 October 2024 Decision date: 11 November 2024 Before: Leeming JA; Mitchelmore JA; Garling J Decision: 1. Grant leave to appeal, confined to grounds 3-7, and refuse leave to appeal in respect of grounds 1 and 2. 2. Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – appeals – appeal against conviction – common law offence – wilful misconduct in public office – whether misdirection that illegitimate purpose must be driving force of impugned conduct – whether direction given by primary judge disadvantaged applicant – whether difference between purpose and motivation – whether findings of guilt in judge-alone trial unsafe – appeal against conviction dismissed CRIMINAL LAW – appeals – appeal against sentence – whether error in determining objective seriousness – whether sentence manifestly excessive – appeal against sentence dismissed Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), Pt 4A Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5 Criminal Appeal Rules 1952, r 4 Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), s 142.2 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), ss 132, 133 Mining Act 1992 (NSW), ss 13, 22, 51 Supreme Court (Criminal Appeal) Rules 2021 (NSW), r 4.15 Cases Cited: Aravena v R (2015) 91 NSWLR 258; [2015] NSWCCA 288 Dansie v The Queen (2022) 274 CLR 651; [2022] HCA 25 EE v The King [2023] NSWCCA 188 Filippou v The Queen (2015) 256 CLR 47; [2015] HCA 29 Jackson v R; Hakim v R (1988) 33 A Crim R 413 Macdonald v The King (sentence) [2023] NSWCCA 253 Macdonald v R; Obeid v R; Obeid v R (2023) 112 NSWLR 402; [2023] NSWCCA 250 Maitland v R; Macdonald v R (2019) 99 NSWLR 376; [2019] NSWCCA 32 Mohana v The King [2023] NSWCCA 61 Mulato v The Queen [2006] NSWCCA 282 Nudd v The Queen [2006] HCA 9; (2006) 80 ALJR 614 Obeid v R (2015) 91 NSWLR 226; [2015] NSWCCA 309 Obeid v R (2017) 96 NSWLR 155; [2017] NSWCCA 221 R v Macdonald [2023] NSWSC 270 R v Macdonald (No 8); R v Maitland (No 8) [2022] NSWSC 1421; 303 A Crim R 230 R v Macdonald; R v Maitland (No 10 – verdict) [2022] NSWSC 1765 R v Nuttall; ex parte Attorney-General [2011] 2 Qd R 328; [2011] QCA 120 R v Quach (2010) 27 VR 310; [2010] VSCA 106 Scaysbrook v R [2022] NSWCCA 69; 297 A Crim R 176 Texts Cited: B Selway, The Constitution of South Australia (Federation Press, 1997) A Twomey, "Changing the Leader – The Constitutional Conventions Concerning the Resignation of Prime Ministers and Premiers" (2011) 39 Federal Law Review 329 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ian Michael Macdonald (Appellant) Crown (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D Mackay (Appellant) B Hatfield SC, C Tran (Respondent)