REGINA v. OFFER [2000] NSWSC 839

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : REGINA v. OFFER [2000] NSWSC 839 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Criminal FILE NUMBER(S) : SC No. 70096 of 1998 HEARING DATE(S) : 26/4/00; 1/5/00; 19/5/00; 18/8/00 JUDGMENT DATE : 25 August 2000

PARTIES : REGINA v. OFFER, Paul Michael JUDGMENT OF : Greg James J at 1

COUNSEL : Crown: B. Newport, QC. Offender: J. Spencer SOLICITORS : Crown: S.E. O'Connnor Offender: Ray Finlayson & Associates CATCHWORDS : Criminal law - sentence - murder - change of plea before jury - life sentence criteria for power to pass - level of culpability - construction of relevant statutory provisions. Criminal Procedure Act 1996 LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes Act 1900 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Ross (CCA, unreported 20 April 1994) Ress [2000] NSWCCA 224 Maxwell (1996) 184 CLR 501 De Simoni (1981) 147 CLR 383 Vella (CCA, unreported 15 December 1995) H (1980) 3 A. Crim. R. 53 JCW [2000] NSWCCA 209 Hartikainen (CCA, unreported 8 June 1993) Vougdis (1989) 41 A. Crim. R. 125 Morgan (1993) 70 A. Crim. R. 368 Thomson & Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309 Barac [1999] NSWSC 61 Petrinovic [1999] NSWSC 1131 Mitchell (1996) 184 CLR 333 Twala (CCA, unreported 4 November 1994) CASES CITED : Garforth (CCA, unreported 23 May 1994) Ibbs (1987) 163 CLR 447 Rose [1999] NSWCCA 327 Street (CCA, unreported 19 July 1996) Lo [2000] NSWSC 714 Harris [2000] NSWSC 285 Mrish (Hidden, J., unreported 13 December 1996) Bell (1985) 2 NSWLR 266 Burke (1983) 2 NSWLR 93 Veen (No. 2) (1987-88) 164 CLR 465 Astill (CCA, unreported 1 October 1992) Bell (CCA, unreported 11 May 1993) Geddes (1936) 36 SR 554 Nichols (1991) 57 A. Crim. R. 391 Pearce (1998) 104 CLR 610 Letteri (CCA, unreported 18 March 1992) DECISION : Murder: Sentence of 34 years with 25 year non-parole period, taking into account matters on Form 1; Grievous bodily harm with intent to murder: Sentence of 10 years to be served concurrently, without a non-parole period.