PB v R [2025] NSWCCA 14

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: PB v R [2025] NSWCCA 14 Hearing dates: 6 February 2024 Date of orders: 21 February 2025 Decision date: 21 February 2025 Before: Mitchelmore JA at [1]; Walton J at [2]; N Adams J at [4]. Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal. (2) Appeal allowed in part. (3) The aggregate sentence imposed by Judge Whitford SC on 28 July 2024 is varied to commence from 10 February 2018 rather than 4 March 2018. Catchwords: CRIME – Appeals – Appeal against sentence – error by primary judge when backdating the commencement date of the sentence to the expiration of a non-parole period imposed for a separate sentence – whether error could be remedied by simple adjustment or whether the error required the court to re-exercise the sentencing discretion – whether error constituted a Kentwell error – principle of totality – re-sentencing required – Court not satisfied a lesser sentence warranted at law – sentence backdated to correct date of expiration of the non-parole period of the separate sentence Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 61L, 61J(1) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 21B, 22B, 33 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), ss 5(1)(c), 6(3) Cases Cited: Hampton v R [2014] NSWCCA 131 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Huynh v R [2024] NSWCCA 61 JA v R [2024] NSWCCA 130 Kentwell v The Queen (2014) 252 CLR 601; [2014] HCA 37 Lehn v R (2016) 93 NSWLR 205; [2016] NSWCCA 255 Mill v R (1988) 166 CLR 59; [1988] HCA 70 Parker v Director of Public Prosecutions (1992) 28 NSWLR 282 R v BF [2007] VSCA 217; (2007) 177 A Crim R 331 R v MAK, R v MSK [2006] NSWCCA 381; (2006) A Crim R 159 Category: Principal judgment Parties: PB (Applicant) Rex (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr T Ramrakha (Applicant) Ms E Jones (Respondent)