REGINA v CHEATHAM [2000] NSWCCA 282

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : REGINA v CHEATHAM [2000] NSWCCA 282 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60755/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 17 May 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 4 August 2000

PARTIES : Regina v Stephen Darcy Cheatham JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; James J at 96; Sperling J at 97

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 70058/98 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL Newman J OFFICER :

COUNSEL : J Nicholson SC (Appellant) M Grogan (Crown) SOLICITORS : Sydney Regional Aboriginal Legal Service (Appellant) S E O'Connor (Crown) CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - defences - insanity - second limb of the M'Naghten test - CRIMINAL LAW - defences - diminished responsibility - requirement on trial judge to direct jury - Crimes Act 1900, s23A - CRIMINAL LAW - conduct of trial judge - no excessive intervention - CRIMINAL LAW - no fresh evidence Crimes Act 1900 LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes Amendment (Diminished Responsibility) Act 1997 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 Galea v Galea (1990) 19 NSWLR 263 Gallagher v The Queen (1986) 160 CLR 392 GIO (NSW) v Glasscock (1991) 13 MVR 521 Mickleberg v The Queen (1988-1989) 167 CLR 259 Pemble v The Queen (1971) 124 CLR 107 R v Ayoub [1984] 2 NSWLR 511 R v Birks (1990) 19 NSWLR 677 CASES CITED: R v Clewer (1953) 37 Cr App R 37 R v Gomaa (Supreme Court of NSW, Badgery-Parker J, 27 April 1994, unreported) R v Hemsley (Supreme Court of NSW, Court of Criminal Appeal, 8 December 1995, unreported) R v Ion (1996) 89 A Crim R 81 R v Wilson (Supreme Court of NSW, Court of Criminal Appeal, 7 March 1995, unreported) Stapleton v The Queen (1952) 86 CLR 358 The King v Porter (1933) 55 CLR 182 Yuill v Yuill [1945] 1 All ER 183 DECISION : Appeal allowed; a new trial to be held.