R v RM [2009] NSWDC 253

New South Wales District Court

CITATION: R v RM [2009] NSWDC 253

HEARING DATE(S): 23 - 26 March 2009

JUDGMENT DATE: 26 March 2009

JURISDICTION: Crime

JUDGMENT OF: Murrell SC DCJ

CATCHWORDS: CRIMINAL LAW - Application for separate trials - tendency evidence relating to types of conduct - probative value - possibility of concoction

Crimes Act 1900 LEGISLATION CITED: Criminal Procedure Act 1986 s 29 Evidence Act 1995 s 55 and 97

AW v R [2009] NSWCCA 1 De Jesus (1986) 22 A Crim R 375 Hoch v The Queen (1988) 165 CLR 292 R v Colby [1999] NSWCCA 261 R v Ellis (2003) 58 NSWLR 700 CASES CITED: R v Fletcher [2005] NSWCCA 338 R v Harker [2004] NSWCCA 427 R v Lockyer (1996) 89 A Crim R 457 R v Milton [2004] NSWCCA 195 R v OGD No2 [2000] NSWCCA 404 R v RN [2005] NSWCCA 413

PARTIES: Regina RM

FILE NUMBER(S): 2007/00006176

COUNSEL: N Williams of Counsel for the Crown S Corish of Counsel for the Accused

SOLICITORS: NSW Director of Public Prosecutions Penelope Purcell Solicitors

The Alleged Offences

1 The accused stands indicted on 11 counts involving five complainants (D, G, M, J & B) and three types of conduct: (1) Encouraging boys to run naked around a particular tree in the accused's backyard in return for money ("the tree run game "). (2) While watching pornographic video material, masturbating in front of a group of boys and encouraging the boys to masturbate (" the group masturbation game"). (3) Watching naked boys take a cold shower. The boy who endured the cold shower for the longest period would receive payment ("the cold shower game ").