Lawrence v Catholic Education Office, Sydney [2002] NSWIRComm 115

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION : Lawrence v Catholic Education Office, Sydney [2002] NSWIRComm 115 ANTHONY LAWRENCE Applicant PARTIES : CATHOLIC EDUCATION OFFICE, SYDNEY Respondent FILE NUMBER: IRC 6053 of 1998 CORAM: Schmidt J CATCHWORDS : Unfair dismissal - summary termination for misconduct - dismissal occurred after District Court sentencing on criminal charges - successful appeal in Court of Criminal Appeal - imposed sentence served - onus falling on applicant and respondent - evidentiary burden falling on respondent met - respondent entitled to rely on conclusions reached in criminal trial - material from criminal trial and appeal sufficient to meet evidentiary burden - misconduct established - procedural difficulties arising in relation to dismissal - dismissal not harsh, given serious misconduct in question - application dismissed LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act 1995 Industrial Relations Act 1996 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Bigg & Anor v NSW Police Service (1998) 80 IR 434 Byrne v Australian Airlines (1995) 69 ALJR 797 Kent v Department of School Education (unreported, Schmidt J, 19 February 1999) CASES CITED : M v M (1988) 63 ALJR 108 Pastrycooks Employees, Biscuit Makers Employees & Flour and Sugar Goods Workers Union (NSW) v Gartrell White (No 3) (1990) 35 IR 70 Wang & Ors v Crestell Industries Pty Ltd & Anor (1997) 73 IR 454 R v Graham (unreported, Newman, Levine and Barr JJ, 2 December 1997) R v AJL [2000] NSWCCA 104 (12 April 2000) HEARING DATES: 05/13/2002 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 05/28/2002