Regina v Galea; Regina v Yeo [2001] NSWCCA 270

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : Regina v Galea; Regina v Yeo [2001] NSWCCA 270 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60249/00 (Galea); 60031/00 (Yeo) HEARING DATE(S) : 4 April 2001 (Subsequent written submissions closing 15 June 2001) JUDGMENT DATE : 17 July 2001

PARTIES : Regina v Raymond Galea Regina v Keng Hwee (Kathy) Yeo JUDGMENT OF : Stein JA at 1; Wood CJ at CL at 92; Studdert J at 93

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 70048/98 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL Grove J OFFICER :

Appellant (Galea) - T A Game SC/H K Dhanji COUNSEL : Appellant (Yeo) - P Byrne SC/G A Bashir Crown - R D Ellis Appellant (Galea) - D J Humphreys SOLICITORS : Appellant (Yeo) - Horowitz and Bilinsky Crown - S E O'Connor CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - murder - accessory to murder - joint enterprise - EVIDENCE - criminal law - failure of accused to give evidence - whether Weissensteiner direction appropriate - EVIDENCE - criminal law - character evidence - cross-examination on material not in evidence - discretion to allow - s 192 Evidence Act 1995 - EVIDENCE - criminal law - balancing prejudice against probative value - ss 97, 101 Evidence Act 1995 - EVIDENCE - criminal law - credibility - whether Edwards or Zoneff direction necessary LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act 1995 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 Azzopardi v The Queen; Davis v The Queen [2001] HCA 25 BRS v The Queen (1997) 191 CLR 275 Edwards v The Queen (1993) 178 CLR 193 R v Bozzola (2001) NSWCCA 269 R v Dang (2000) NSWCCA 269 CASES CITED: R v Fowler (2000) NSWCCA 142 R v Mai (2000) NSWCCA 517 R v OGD (1997) 45 NSWLR 744 RPS v The Queen (2000) 199 CLR 620 Stanoevski v R (2001) 177 ALR 285 Weissensteiner v The Queen (1993) 178 CLR 217 Zoneff v The Queen (2000) 200 CLR 234 DECISION : Galea: 1) Appeal upheld 2) Conviction quashed 3) New trial ordered; Yeo: 1) Appeal upheld 2) Conviction quashed 3) New trial ordered