Hornsby Shire Council v Devaney [2007] NSWLEC 199

Land and Environment Court of New South Wales

CITATION : Hornsby Shire Council v Devaney [2007] NSWLEC 199 This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

PROSECUTOR: Hornsby Shire Council

PARTIES : FIRST DEFENDANT: Allan Leslie Devaney

SECOND DEFENDANT: Amanda Benson

FILE NUMBER(S) : 50035; 50034 of 2006

CORAM: Biscoe J

KEY ISSUES: Environmental Offences :- sentencing - clearing rural land of trees and vegetation without development consent - plea of guilty - first defendant, an experienced earthmoving contractor, wrongly advised young client, the second defendant, that no council approval was required - parity of sentencing - whether first defendant should be convicted and fined and second defendant discharged on condition that she enter into a good behaviour bond - whether alternatively second defendant should be convicted and, if so, whether she should be fined having regard to her low level of culpability and means

Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 ss 10(1)(b), 10(3), 17, 21A, 22 LEGISLATION CITED: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 76A(1)(a), 125, 126(1), 126(3), 149 Fines Act 1996 s 6 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1993 Sch 2

Byron Shire Council v Fletcher (2005) 143 LGERA 155; Cameron v Eurobodalla Shire Council (2006) 146 LGERA 349; Council of Camden v Tax (2004) 137 LGERA 368; Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246; Environment Protection Authority v Davis [2005] NSWLEC 643; Environment Protection Authority v Peters [2006] NSWLEC 612; CASES CITED: Garrett v Langmead [2006] NSWLEC 627; Hornsby Shire Council v Moit [2001] NSWLEC 50; Laurentiu & Becheru v The Queen (1992) 63 A Crim R 402; Rahme (1989) 43 A Crim R 81; R v Thompson (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; Veen v The Queen (1979) 143 CLR 458; Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465