R v Mailes [2001] NSWCCA 155

Reported Decision : 53 NSWLR 251 126 A Crim R 20

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : R v Mailes [2001] NSWCCA 155 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60523/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 24 April 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 19 October 2001

PARTIES : Regina Graham Mailes JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Wood CJ at CL at 19; Greg James J at 230

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 70037/97 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL Newman J OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Crown: G. Smith Applicant: T. Game SC SOLICITORS : S.E. O'Connor David Giddy & Associates CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - appeals - appeal against conviction - murder - fitness to be tried - whether an intellectually disabled offender (not suffering a mental illness) falls within scope of Mental Health (Criminal Procedure) Act 1990 (NSW) - statutory interpretation - history of common law - whether issue of fitness had been raised in good faith - whether additional fitness hearing should have been ordered - miscarriage of justice - new trial Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (SA) s 269H Criminal Lunatics Act 1800 (UK) s 2 Criminal Procedure (Insanity) Act 1964 (UK) s 4 Criminal Procedure (Insanity and Unfitness to Plead) Act 1991 (UK) LEGISLATION CITED : Justices Act 1902 (NSW) ss 36, 41(1B)(a), 41(4) Lunacy Act 1878 (NSW) ss 58, 59 Mental Health Act 1958 (NSW) ss 4, 23, 24 Mental Health Act 1990 (NSW) ss 3, 8, 11 Mental Health Criminal Procedure Act 1990 (NSW) ss 3, 5, 7, 8, 10(1)(a), 10(1)(b), 11, 15, 18, 21, 32 DECISION : (1) Appeal allowed.; (2) Conviction and sentence quashed and a new trial ordered.