R v Robinson [2002] NSWCCA 359

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : R v Robinson [2002] NSWCCA 359 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60679/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 24 June 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 25 September 2002

PARTIES : R v Christopher Andrew Robinson JUDGMENT OF : Giles JA; Dunford J; Greg James J

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 70051/99 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL Adams J OFFICER :

COUNSEL : T J Golding - Appellant Dr P J Power - Crown SOLICITORS : D J Humphreys - Applicant S E O'Connor - Crown CATCHWORDS : Sentencing - murder - offender aged 17 - would be worst case but for age - sentence of 45 years with 35 years non-parole period - whether error in finding no remorse - no error - whether error in not reducing sentence by virtue of plea of guilty - no error - whether sentence manifestly excessive - gravity of crime and need for protection of public - consideration of protection of public - need for protction properly founded in evidence - no appealable error as to head sentence - weighing of factors different for non-parole period - special circumstances - appealable error as to non-parole period. D. Bugmy v The Queen (1990) 169 CLR 525; Dinsdale v The Queen (2000) 202 CLR 321; Power v The Queen (1974) 131 CLR 623; R v Costen (1989) 11 Cr App R (S) 182, R v Crump (CCA, 30 May 1993, unreported); R v Elemes [2000]NSWCCA 235; R v Fernando; R v Fernando (1977) 95 A Crim R 533; R v GDR (1994) 35 NSWLR 376; R v Glen [1999] NSWSC 1018; CASES CITED: R v Harrison (1997) 93 A Crim R 314; R v Leonard (CCA, 7 December 1998, unreported); R v Purdey (1992) 65 A Crim R 441; R v Simpson (2001) 53 NSWLR 704; R v Stabler (1984) 6 Cr App R (S) 129; R v Thomson; R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; R v Tran [1999] NSWCCA 109; Siganto v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 656; Veen v The Queen (No 1) (1979) 143 CLR 458; Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465. DECISION : Grant leave to appeal, uphold the appeal, confirm the head sentence, but quash the non-parole period and in lieu thereof fix a non-parole period of 27 years to date from 22 January 1999. The earliest date on which the applicant will be eligible for release on parole is 21 January 2026.