Regina v Togias [2001] NSWCCA 522

Reported Decision : 127 A Crim R 23

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : Regina v Togias [2001] NSWCCA 522 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60242/01 HEARING DATE(S) : Friday 10 August 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 14 December 2001

PARTIES : Regina v Nikolitsa Togias JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Grove J at 38; Einfeld AJ at 112

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 00/11/0195 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL Woods DCJ OFFICER :

COUNSEL : D.G. Staehli (Crown/Appellant) S.J. Odgers SC with I.H. McClintock (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Commonwealth DPP (Crown/Appellant) Murphy's Lawyers (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE - SENTENCE - IMPORTATION OF COMMERCIAL QUANTITY OF NARCOTICS (MDMA) - COURIER ACTING FOR FINANCIAL GAIN - OFFENDER BECOMING PREGNANT AFTER ARREST AND CHARGE - APPEARING FOR SENTENCE AT A TIME WHEN NEWBORN APPARENTLY BEING BREASTFED - INSUFFICIENCY OF EVIDENCE OF POTENTIAL CONTACT BETWEEN MOTHER AND CHILD IF MOTHER IN CUSTODY - THREE YEARS IMPRISONMENT WHOLLY SUSPENDED - CROWN APPEAL - MANIFEST INADEQUACY - APPROPRIATE COURSE TO REMAND AND RECEIVE EVIDENCE ENABLING ASSESSMENT THAT CIRCUMSTANCES OF CUSTODY WILL BE HUMANE IN RESPECT OF CONTACT BETWEEN MOTHER AND CHILD - EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRED TO GIVE SUBSTANTIAL WEIGHT PROBABLE EFFECT OF SENTENCE ON FAMILY OR DEPENDANTS PURSUANT TO s16A(2)(p) CRIMES ACT 1914 - APPLICABLE LIMITATIONS ON AVAILABILITY OF PERIODIC DETENTION AND HOME DETENTION NOT REMOVED FOR FEDERAL OFFENCES BY s20AB(1A) CRIMES ACT 1914 - RELEVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS - OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD - INNOCENTI DECLARATION ON THE PROTECTION, PROMOTION AND SUPPORT OF BREASTFEEDING AND CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN - FINDINGS BY SENTENCING JUDGE - (PER SPIGELMAN CJ & GROVE J, EINFELD AJ CONTRA) DESIRABILITY OF RESENTENCE BY DIFFERENT JUDGE ON REMITTER TO TRIAL COURT Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Crimes Legislation Amendment Act (No 2) 1990 LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes Regulations 1990 (Cth) Customs Act 1901 (Cth) Justices Act 1902 The Human Rights Act 1998 (Imp) Baker v Canada (1999) 174 DLR (4th) 193 Bates v Police (1997) 70 SASR 66 Chu Kheng Lim v Minister for Immigration (1992) 176 CLR 1 Dietrich v The Queen (1992) 177 CLR 292 Kartinyeri v The Commonwealth (1998) 195 CLR 337 Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1991-1992) 175 CLR 1 Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade v Magno 1992 37 FCR 298 Minister for Immigration & Ethnic Affairs v Teoh (1994-1995) 183 CLR 272 Nguyen v The Queen [2001] WASCA 72 Polites v The Commonwealth (1945) 70 CLR 60 R v Adami (1989) 51 SASR 229 R v Capper [2000] NSWCCA 63 R v Caradonna [2000] NSWCCA 398 R v Carmody (1998) 100 A Crim R 41 R v Ceissman [2001] NSWCCA 73 R v Edwards (1996) 90 A Crim R 510 R v Griffiths (1977) 137 CLR 293 R v Haleth (1982) 4 Cr App R(S) 178 R v La Mude [2001] VSCA 33 CASES CITED: R v Luong [2000] NSWCCA 139 R v Matthews (1996) 130 FLR 230 R v Niga CCA NSW unrep 13 april 1994 R v Sinclair (1990) 51 A Crim R 418 R v SLR 2001 116 A Crim R 150 R v Smith (1998) 98 A Crim R 442 R v Spratling 1911 1 KB 77 R v Stewart 1994 72 A Crim R 17 R v Tiki CCA NSW unrep 24 August 1994 R v Vaughan (1982) 4 Cr App R(S) 83 R v White [1999] NSWCCA 60 Rajan v Minister of Immigration [1996] 3 NZLR 543 Uinted States v Gerard 782 F.Supp 913,914-15 (SDNY 1992) United States v Gonzalez No S88 CR 559 (CSH), 1989 WL 86021 (SDNY Jul 27, 1989) United States v Handy 752 F.Supp 561, 564 (EDNY 1990) United States v Hon No 89 CR 0052 (RWS) 1989 WL 59613 (SDNY May 31, 1989) United States v Johnson 908 f.2d 396, 399 (8th Cir.1990) United States v Mills Nos. 88CR 956 (CSH) & 89 CR 256 (CSH) 1990 WL 8081 (SDNY Jan 17, 1990) United States v Pokuaa 782 F.Supp 747, 747-48 (EDNY 1992) United States v Williams 88 CR 144 (EDNY 1988) Walsh v Department of Social Security (1996) 67 SASR 143 DECISION : APPEAL ALLOWED; REMITTED TO DISTRICT COURT FOR RESENTENCE