State of New South Wales v JR; State of New South Wales v Dickens; State of New South Wales v Jensen [2024] NSWCA 308

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: State of New South Wales v JR; State of New South Wales v Dickens; State of New South Wales v Jensen [2024] NSWCA 308 Hearing dates: 29 April 2024 Date of orders: 20 December 2024 Decision date: 20 December 2024 Before: Gleeson JA at [1] White JA at [307] Stern JA at [308] Decision: JR (2023/271325) (1) Appeal allowed in part. (2) Set aside the orders made in the District Court on 3 August 2023. (3) In lieu thereof: (a) enter judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $10,100.00. This judgment is to take effect on 3 August 2023; (b) the plaintiff to pay 90 per cent of the defendant's costs in the District Court. (4) The respondent to pay 90 per cent of the appellant's costs in this Court. Jensen (2023/271359) (1) Appeal allowed in part. (2) Set aside the orders made in the District Court on 3 August 2023. (3) In lieu thereof: (a) enter judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $10,100.00. This judgment is to take effect on 3 August 2023; (b) the defendant to pay the plaintiff's costs in the District Court. (4) Make no order as to the costs of the appeal to the intent that each party pay their own costs of the appeal. Dickens (2023/271345) (1) Appeal allowed in part. (2) Set aside the orders made in the District Court on 3 August 2023. (3) In lieu thereof: (a) enter judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $10,100.00. This judgment is to take effect on 3 August 2023; (b) the defendant to pay the plaintiff's costs in the District Court. (4) Make no order as to the costs of the appeal to the intent that each party pay their own costs of the appeal. Catchwords: APPEALS – apprehension of bias – procedural fairness – whether the trial judge's interventions gave rise to apprehension of bias or procedural unfairness – whether excessive judicial questioning or comments – whether real danger that trial was unfair TORTS – malicious prosecution – where criminal proceedings result in acquittal – where police officer instituted proceedings by charging the accused – where proceedings taken over by Director of Public Prosecutions – whether police officer maintained the proceedings – whether in charging the accused police officer acted without reasonable and probable cause – whether officer acted with malice TORTS – misfeasance in public office – whether malice proved TORTS – false imprisonment – where plaintiffs detained for purpose of investigation – whether unlawfully detained beyond the maximum investigation period – whether permitted timeouts extended the investigation period – whether trial judge erred in findings as to period of false imprisonment – whether false imprisonment ended when respondents charged and refused bail APPEALS – damages for false imprisonment – whether trial judge failed to apply correct counterfactual scenario – whether error in awarding compensatory damages – whether nominal damages appropriate – whether error in awarding aggravated and exemplary damages APPEALS – from finding of fact – credibility of witnesses – whether primary judge erred in credibility and reliability findings Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 100 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), ss 48, 281 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 58, 61J(1), 61JA(1), 86(2)(a), 578A Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5F Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1986 (NSW), ss 9, 15A Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW), ss 114, 115, 116, 117 Law Reform (Vicarious Liability) Act 1983 (NSW), Pt IV Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 101(2)(r) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 36.16, 41.2 Cases Cited: A v State of New South Wales (2007) 230 CLR 500; [2007] HCA 10 Charisteas v Charisteas (2021) 273 CLR 289; [2021] HCA 29 CNY17 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection and Another (2019) 268 CLR 76; [2019] HCA 50 Commonwealth Life Assurance Society Ltd v Brain (1935) 53 CLR 343; [1935] HCA 40 Concrete Pty Ltd v Parramatta Design & Developments Pty Ltd (2006) 229 CLR 577; [2006] HCA 55 Dunlop v Woollahra Council [1982] AC 158 Ea v Diaconu (2020) 102 NSWLR 351; [2020] NSWCA 127 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2000) 205 CLR 337; [2000] HCA 63 Feldman v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (2020) 103 NSWLR 307; [2020] NSWCA 260 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Galea v Galea (1990) 19 NSWLR 263 Gray v Motor Accidents Commission (1998) 196 CLR 1; [1998] HCA 70 Haines v Bendall (1991) 172 CLR 60; [1991] HCA 15 HD v State of New South Wales [2016] NSWCA 85 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Isbester v Knox City Council (2015) 255 CLR 135; [2015] HCA 20 Jamal v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2019] NSWCA 121 James v Hill [2004] NSWCA 301 Klein v National Australia Bank Ltd [2016] VSCA 114 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 47 Lee v Lee (2019) 226 CLR 129; [2019] HCA 28 Lewis v Australian Capital Territory (2020) 271 CLR 192; [2020] HCA 26 Madden v State of New South Wales [2023] NSWDC 647 Manly Fast Ferry Pty Ltd v Wehbe [2021] NSWCA 67 McLaughlin v State of New South Wales [2023] NSWDC 525 Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd v Nicholls (2011) 244 CLR 427; [2011] HCA 48 Northern Territory of Australia v Mengel (1995) 185 CLR 307; [1995] HCA 65 Polsen v Harrison [2021] NSWCA 23 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs; Ex parte Lam (2003) 214 CLR 1; [2003] HCA 6 R (Lumba) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2012] 1 AC 245 Robinson Helicopter Co Inc v McDermott [2016] HCA 22; (2016) 90 ALJR 679 Royal Guardian Mortgage Management Pty Ltd v Nguyen [2016] NSWCA 88; (2016) 332 ALR 128 R v Rearden (No 2) (2004) 60 NSWLR 454; [2004] NSWCCA 197 R v Spiteri (2004) 61 NSWLR 369; [2004] NSWCA 321 R v T, WA [2014] SASCFC 3 Sanders v Snell (1998) 196 CLR 329; [1998] HCA 64 Skrijel v Mengler [2003] VSC 270 Smits v Roach (2006) 227 CLR 423; [2006] HCA 36 State of New South Wales v Abed [2014] NSWCA 419 State of New South Wales v Landini [2010] NSWCA 157 State of New South Wales v Madden (2024) 113 NSWLR 509; [2024] NSWCA 40 State of New South Wales v McLaughlin [2024] NSWCA 137 State of New South Wales v Radford (2010) 79 NSWLR 327; [2010] NSWCA 276 State of New South v Riley (2003) 57 NSWLR 496; [2003] NSWCA 208 State of New South Wales v Spedding [2023] NSWCA 180 State of New South Wales v Zreika [2012] NSWCA 37 State of NSW v Delly (2007) 70 NSWLR 125; [2007] NSWCA 303 Superannuation Corporate Services Pty Ltd v Turner [2020] NSWCA 246 Trobridge v Hardy (1955) 94 CLR 147; [1955] HCA 68 Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1996) 117 CLR 118; [1966] HCA 40 Vakauta v Kelly (1989) 167 CLR 568; [1989] HCA 44 Windsor v Health Care Complaints Commission [2020] NSWCA 110 Yuill v Yuill [1945] P 15 Category: Principal judgment Parties: State of New South Wales (Appellant) JR (Respondent) Christian Dickens (Respondent) Aaron Jensen (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: H Younan SC / A Williams / A Hammond (Appellant) D Toomey SC / A C Canceri / T O'Rourke (Respondents)