Regina v Stringer [2000] NSWCCA 293

Reported Decision : 116 A Crim R 198

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : Regina v Stringer [2000] NSWCCA 293 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60751/99 HEARING DATE(S) : Monday 8 May 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 10 August 2000

PARTIES : Regina v Rodney John Stringer JUDGMENT OF : Grove J at 1; Adams J at 28; Smart AJ at 120

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 99/11/1098 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL Shillington DCJ OFFICER :

COUNSEL : C.K. Maxwell QC (Crown/Applicant) W.E. Flynn (Respondent) SOLICITORS : S.E. O'Connor (Crown) Marsdens (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : Criminal Law and Procedure - Stay of Proceedings - Sexual Offences - Abolition of Offence by Statute - Absence of Retrospective Operation - Charges of Conduct Prior to Legislation - Particulars of Span of Dates in Indictment - Crown and Defence Postulate Limited Issue at First Instance - Passage of Years Since Alleged Offences - Loss of Corroborating Material Potentially Definitive of Crown or Defence Assertions - - Per Grove J: The specifications of dates in an indictment are immaterial allegations and parties cannot by consent make them so by mere pleading as distinct from dates becoming material in the course of evidence in a trial. A court cannot be required to try an issue which is incompatible with the law as current and applicable at a relevant time. - - Per Adams J (dissenting): At trial the Crown evidence should be limited to the assertions of conduct within the span of its specification. To permit otherwise would render the trial inevitably unfair. The nature of indecency in the context of sexual assault discussed. Comment upon the notion of equal justice with particular reference to gender. The reflection of community standards in legislation and otherwise and the perception of abuse of process considered. - - Per Smart AJ: An applicant for permanent stay of proceedings should be required to verify his position. This did not occur. The assertion that sexual activity took place a year later than alleged but at a time when such activity was unlawful does not provide foundation for exercise of discretion to order permanent stay of proceedings. Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) Anti Discrimination Act 1975 Commonwealth Prisoners Act 1967 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes Act 1900 Crimes (Amendment) Act 1984 Criminal Code (Tas) Human Rights (Sexual Conduct) Act 1994 (Cth) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) Sexual Offences Act 1956 (Imp) Beal v Kelley 1951 Cr App R 128 Channon v The Queen 1978 33 FLR 433 Connelly v Director of Public Prosecutions (1904) AC 1254 Croome v Tasmania 1997 191 CLR 119 Crowe v Graham 1968 121 CLR 375 Dietrich v The Queen 1992 177 CLR 293 House v The King 1936 55 CLR 499 Jago v District Court of NSW 1989 168 CLR 23 Johnson v Miller 1937 59 CLR 467 (The) King v Dean 1932 NZLR 753 Kruger v the Commonwealth 1997 146 ALR 126 Leeth v the Commonwealth 1992 174 CLR 455 Lowe v The Queen 1984 154 CLR 606 Mack 1988 44 CCC (3d) 513 Minister for Immigration & Ethnic Affairs v Teoh 1995 183 CLR 273 Moloney v Mercer 1971 2 NSWLR 207 Moevao v Department of Labour 1980 1 NZLR 464 Pearce v The Queen 1998 156 ALR 684 Page v Butcher 1957 SASR 165 Potter v Minahan 1908 7 CLR 277 Purves v Inglis 1915 34 NZLR 1051 (The) Queen v Glennon 1992 173 CLR 592 (The) Queen v S 1989 45 A Crim R 221 R v Adler unreported CCA 11 June 1992 R v B & L 1954 71 WN (NSW) 138 R v Cox (1999) NSWCCA 62 R v Cuthbert 1967 86 WN (Pt 1) (NSW) 272 R v Davis 1995 81 ALR 156 CASES CITED: R v Dossi 1918 13 Cr App R 158 R v Geddes 1936 36 SR (NSW) 554 R v Goldberg unreported CCA 23 February 1993 R v Hare 1934 1 KB 354 R v Harkin 1989 38 A Cr R 296 R v Hartikainan unreported CCA 8 June 1993 R v Hatfield (1999) NSWCCA 340 R v Hughes (2000) NSWCCA 3 R v Luscombe unreported CCA 22 November 1999 R v MacDonald 1 SCR (NS) 173 R v Manson unreported CCA 17 February 1993 R v Mason 1969 Cr App R 12 R v McCarthy unreported CCA 12 August 1994 R v McCormack 1969 2 QB 442 R v P unreported Federal Court of Australia 29 August 1998 R v Pfitzner 1976 15 SASR 171 R v Pritchard 1999 107 A Cr R 88 R v Suckling (1999) NSWCCA 36 R v Swaffield and Pavic 1997-8 151 ALR 98 R v Tolmie unreported CCA 7 December 1994 R v V.H.P. unreported CCA 7 July 1997 R v Wollaston 1872 12 CCC 180 R v Wilson Ex Parte Kisch 1934 52 CLR 234 Ridgeway v The Queen 1998 78 A Crim R 307 Sarawasti v The Queen 1991 172 CLR 1 Siganto v The Queen 1998 159 ALR 94 Walton v Gardiner 1992 177 CLR 378 Williams v Spautz 1991 174 CLR 509 Wright v Nicholson 1970 1 WLR 142 DECISION : By majority, appeal allowed.