R v Fernando & Anor [1999] NSWCCA 66

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal CITATION : R v Fernando & Anor [1999] NSWCCA 66 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60339/97; 60429/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 10 December to 11 December 1998 1 February to 3 February 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 14 April 1999

The Crown PARTIES : Vester Allan Fernando Brendan Fernando JUDGMENT OF : Newman J; Studdert J; James J

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Abadee J

R D Cogswell SC (Crown) COUNSEL : M C Ramage QC (Vester Allan Fernando) T L Buddin SC (Brendan Fernando) S E O'Connor (Crown) SOLICITORS : Sydney Regional Aboriginal Corporation Legal Service (Vester Allan Fernando) T A Murphy (Brendan Fernando) CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - murder - confessions and admissions - voluntariness - hostile witness - unreliability of witness - hearsay evidence - failure to call witness - reopening of Crown case - common purpose - comment of accused not giving evidence - separate trials - cross examination by co-accused - unsafe and unsatisfactory verdict - sentencing - life sentence - worst type of case. Evidence Act 1995; ss 20; 38; 59; 60; 76 and 78; 84; 85; 90; 104; 135; 137; 138; 165 ACTS CITED : Crimes Act 1900; s 19A(2) Sentencing Act 1989; s 13(c) Foster v The Queen 67 ALJR 550 at 565 R v Swaffield (1997-98) 192 CLR 159 at 202 R v Plevac (1995) 84 A Crim R 570 at 580 R v Clarke (1997) 97 A Crim R 414 at 419 Lee v The Queen 72 ALJR 1484 R v Horton (unreported Court of Criminal Appeal 2 November 1998 R v Esposito (unreported Court of Criminal Appeal 20 November 1998 R v Beattie (1996) 40 NSWLR 155 at 160 Shepherd v The Queen (1990) 170 CLR 573 at 585 Shaw v The Queen (1952) 85 CLR 365 at 379-80 Killick v The Queen (1981) 147 CLR 565 at 568 R v Tangye (1997) 92 A Crim R 545 R v O G D (unreported 3 June 1997 Weissensteiner v The Queen (1993) 178 CLR 217 B v The Queen (1992) 175 CLR 599 R v Assim (1966) 2 QB 249 R v Annakin & Ors (unreported, Court of Criminal Appeal, 23 November 1988). De Jesus v The Queen (1986) 68 ALR 1 R v Grondkowski (1946) 1 KB 369 at 373 R v Gibbons & Proctor (1918) 13 Cr App p 134 R v Kerekes (1973) WN CASES CITED: R v Flaherty & Ors (1968) 3 NSWLR R v Merritt 19 A Crim R 363 R v Oliver 57 ALR 543 at 547 R v Lake 64 Cr App R 172 R v Beavan 69 WN 141 at 142-143 R v Dellapatrona & Duffield (1993) 31 NSWLR 123 at 133C R v Baartman, (unreported, Court of Criminal Appeal, 6 October 1994) R v Midis, (unreported NSWSC 27 March 1991) Webb & Hay v The Queen [1993-94] 181 CLR 41 R v Cameron (1983) 2 NSWLR 66 R v Pureau (1990) 19 NSWLR 372 R v Quinn (1991) 55 A Crim R 435 Murdoch v Taylor [1965] AC 574 at 585 R v Clout (1995) 41 NSWLR 312 Ibbs v The Queen (1987) 163 CLR 447 at 441-451 R v Holder & Johnstone (1983) 3 NSWLR 245\ Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1987-88) 164 CLR 465 at 478 R v Camilleri, (unreported, Court of Criminal Appeal, 8 February 1990) R v Twala, (unreported, Court of Criminal Appeal, 4 November 1994) R v Garforth, (unreported, Court of Criminal Appeal, 23 May 1994) R v Fernando (1992) 76 A Crim R 58 R v Baker, (unreported, Court of Criminal Appeal, 29 September 1995) DECISION : VESTER ALLAN FERNANDO -; Appeal against conviction dismissed; Leave to appeal against sentence granted; Appeal dismissed. ; BRENDAN FERNANDO-; Appeal against conviction dismissed; Leave to appeal against sentence granted; Appeal dismissed.