R v Serratore [1999] NSWCCA 377

Reported Decision : 48 NSWLR 101

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal CITATION : R v Serratore [1999] NSWCCA 377 revised - 01/12/99 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60675/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 21 May, 24-25 June 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 26 November 1999

PARTIES : John Serratore (Appellant) Regina (Respondent) JUDGMENT OF : Dunford J at 1; Greg James J at 144; Smart AJ at 227

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 70018/96 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Newman J

COUNSEL : IM Barker QC / R Toner SC (Appellant) CK Maxwell QC (Crown/Respondent) SOLICITORS : Macedone Christie Willis (Appellant) CK Smith (Crown/Respondent) CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - murder - appeal against conviction - circumstantial evidence case - whether certain specified intermediate facts essential - trial judge's directions erroneous but favourable to accused - open to jury to convict on evidence, but not in accordance with trial judge's directions - irregularity such as to constitute miscarriage of justice - appeal allowed - new trial or judgment of acquittal; CRIMINAL LAW - murder - indictment - single count - crown case put on alternative basis; EVIDENCE - murder trial - hearsay - evidence of relationship between accused and deceased. Crimes Act 1900, ss 2, 346, 378, 567; ACTS CITED : Evidence Act, ss 55, 56, 59, 65, 66, 69, 72, 108, 135, 136, 137, 165; Criminal Appeal Act 1912, ss 6 & 8. Shepherd v The Queen (1990) 170 CLR 573; Wilson v The Queen (1970) 123 CLR 334; R v Frawley (1993) 69 A Crim R 208; The Queen v Hissey (1973) 6 SASR 280, R v Ballantine (CCA - 27 June 1978); R v Hurst (CCA - 2 November 1983); R v Ball [1911] AC 47 at 68; R v Dean (unreported - Dunford J, 12 March 1999); R v Plevac (CCA - 5 October 1995); R v Lock (1997) 91 A Crim R 356; R v Mankotia (unreported - Sperling J, 27 July 1998); R v Lockeyer (1996) 89 A Crim R 457; R v Singh-Bal (1997) 92 A Crim R 397; May v O'Sullivan (1995) 92 CLR 654; R v Towers (1984) 14 A Crim R 12; Doney v The Queen (1990) 171 CLR 207; R v R (1989) 18 NSWLR 74; R v JMR (1991) 39 A Crim R 39; Fleming v The Queen [1998] HCA 68, (1998) 158 ALR 379; R v Giam [1999] NSWCCA 53; Plomp v The Queen (1963) 110 CLR 234; R v Anderson (1991) 53 A Crim R 421; R v Clough (1992) 28 NSWLR 396; Director of Public Prosecutions (Nauru) v Fowler (1984) 154 CLR 423; Bromley v The Queen (1986) 161 CLR 315; CASES CITED: Parker v The Queen [1997] HCA 13, (1997) 186 CLR 494; R v Sparrow (1980) 51 CCC (2d) 443; R v Cloutier (1980) 48 CCC (2d) 1; R v Rahman (1981) 59 CCC (2d) 323; R v White (1989) 41 A Crim R 237; Osland v The Queen (1998) 159 ALR 170; Surujpaul v The Queen (1958) 42 Cr App R 266; R v Gorman (CCA, unreported 15 May 1997); R v Sourelos (CCA, unreported 6 September 1984); Davis v The Queen (1991) 66 ALJR 22; R v Glynn (1994) 33 NSWLR 139, The King v Gordon (1789) 1 Leach 515; R v Smith & Kirton (CCA, unreported 15 February 1990); R v Baynes (1989) 41 A Crim R 405; Johns v The Queen (1979-80) 143 CLR 108; King v The Queen (1986) 161 CLR 423; Thatcher v The Queen (1987) 39 DLR (4th) 275; R v Giannetto (1997) 1 Cr App 1; R v Leivers & Ballinger (1998) 101 A Crim R 175; R v Chignell (1991) 2 NZLR 257; R v Gaughan [1990] Crim LR 880; Georgiani v The Queen (1985) 156 CLR 477; Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland v Maxwell (1979) 68 Crim App R 128; R v Browne (1987) 38 A Crim R 278; The Queen v Taylor, Harrison & Taylor (1998) Crim Law Review 583; R v Lanteri (1985) 4 NSWLR 359. DECISION : Appeal allowed, conviction and sentence set aside, new trial ordered.