Inspector Christopher Downie v Menzies Property Services Pty Limited [2004] NSWIRComm 259

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Inspector Christopher Downie v Menzies Property Services Pty Limited [2004] NSWIRComm 259 APPELLANT Inspector Christopher Downie PARTIES : RESPONDENT Menzies Property Services Pty Limited FILE NUMBER: IRC 7438 of 2003 CORAM: Walton J Vice-President; Boland J; Backman J CATCHWORDS : Appeal from decision of magistrate - leave to appeal - guilty plea - dismissal of charge under s10 of Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act - appeal from discretionary decision - improper exercise of discretion - errors of law and principle - sentence manifestly inadequate - failure to properly consider objective seriousness of offence - instruction to use unsafe system of work - failure to supervise - failure to provide training - excessive weight given to subjective factors - insufficient weight given to consideration of general and specific deterrence - s10 order rare in occupational health and safety prosecutions - review of sentencing decisions - double jeopardy - leave to appeal granted - appeal upheld - respondent re-sentenced - no order as to costs of appeal Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 LEGISLATION CITED : Industrial Relations Act 1996 Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 Abdullah Al-Shennag v Bankstown City Council Civic Services Group (2002) 118 IR 138 Abigroup Contractors Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Maltby) (2001) 112 IR 139 Alcatel Australia Limited v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (Inspector Clyant) (1996) 70 IR 99 Barber v Gundegai Shire Council (2002) 118 IR 193 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Limited v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 Cobiac v Liddy (1969) 119 CR 257 Commissioner of Taxation v Baffsky (2001) 164 FLR 375 Department of Mineral Resources (Chief Inspector McKensey) v Berrima Coal Pty Ltd & Anor (2001) 105 IR 348 Department of Mineral Resources NSW (McKensey) v Kembla Coal and Coke Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 8 Dowling v Bournelis & Bedrock Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd [2003] NSWIRComm 88 Drake Personnel Ltd t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 432 Ferguson v Nelmac Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 188 Griffiths v The Queen (1977) 137 CLR 293 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Inspector Carmody v Power [2002] NSWIRComm 286 Inspector Ian Batty v Graincorp Operations Limited [2002] NSWIRComm 49 Inspector Victor Larobina v Mahmoud Khodr Trading as MK Tiling & Anor [2003] NSWIRComm 473 King v State Bank of New South Wales (2002) 126 IR 407 Knowles v Anglican Church Property Trust (No 2) (1999) 95 IR 380 Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 464 Mace v Murray (1955) 92 CLR 370 McCarthy v Sell & Parker Pty Ltd [2000] NSWIRComm 273 Mitchforce v Starkey (2002) 117 IR 122 Page v Walco Hoist Rentals Pty Ltd (No 2) [2000] NSWIRComm 39 Pearce v The Queen (1988) 194 CLR 610 R v Allpass (1993) 72 A Crim R 561 CASES CITED : R v Ingrassia (1996) 41 NSWLR 447 R v Lord [2001] NSWCCA 533 (4 December 2001) R v Paris [2001] NSWCCA 83 R v Piccin (No 2) [2001] NSWCCA 323 Ridge Consolidated Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mauger) (2000) 100 IR 156 Riley v Australian Grader Hire (2001) 103 IR 143 Schultz v Tamworth City Council (1995) 58 IR 221 Thorneloe v Filipowski (2001) 52 NSWLR 60