R v Brown [1999] NSWCCA 323

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal CITATION : R v Brown [1999] NSWCCA 323 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60180/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 13 October, 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 19 October 1999

PARTIES : Regina Trent Robert Brown JUDGMENT OF : Sully J; Ireland J; Hidden J

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 98/11/0898-9 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Williams DCJ

COUNSEL : Crown - R D Ellis Respondent - S Corish SOLICITORS : Crown - S E O'Connor Respondent - Leary & Co CATCHWORDS : Crown Appeal pursuant to S 5D of the Criminal Appeal Act, 1912 - error in sentencing where sentences imposed for serious drug offences are subsumed within sentence currently being served for an unrelated offence - such a sentence amounting to no sentence at all - hence demonstrating excessive leniency R -v- Dodd (1991) 57 A Crim R 349 - sentence not commensurate with the seriousness of the offences; R -v- Rushby (1977) 1 NSWLR 594 - notwithstanding assistance to authorities, necessary to impose sentence not unreasonably disproportionate to stated penalty for offences; R -v- C (1994) 75 A Crim R 309 - seriousness of role of couriers considered - R -v- Le Cerf (1976) 8 ALR 349; Reg -v- Behar (unreported NSWCCA 14.10.98); Reg -v- Herry Budiman (unreported NSWCCA 8.9.98) Reg -v- Trina La Shae Smith (unreported NSWCCA 20.8.98) ACTS CITED : Criminal Appeal Act, 1912 Sentencing Act, 1989 CASES CITED: R -v- Dodd (1991) 57 A Crim R 349; R -v- Rushby (1977) 1 NSWLR 594;R -v- C (1994) 75 A Crim R 309; Reg -v- Le Cerf (1976) 8 ALR 349; Reg -v- Behar (unreported NSWCCA 14.10.98) Reg -v- Budiman (unreported NSWCCA 8.9.98); Reg -v- Trina La Shae Smith (unreported NSWCCA 20.8.98) DECISION : Crown appeal allowed. Sentence quashed - Respondent resentenced.