Mazzitelli v Regina [2002] NSWCCA 436

Reported Decision : (2002) 135 A Crim R 132

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : Mazzitelli v Regina [2002] NSWCCA 436 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60809/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 13/06/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 31 October 2002

PARTIES : Michele Mazzitelli Regina JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; O'Keefe J at 2; Simpson J at 78

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Appellant - Mr M Thangaraj Crown - Mr M Allnutt - DPP (Cth) SOLICITORS : Appellant - Mr Mark Rumore Crown - Ms Yasmine Swifte - DPP (Cth) CATCHWORDS : Criminal law - Importation of cocaine - Commercial quantity - Circumstantial and other evidence - Direction - Unreliability warning - No unfairness of summing up - Character evidence on behalf of accused - Reference by trial judge - Severity appeal - Role of accused in criminal enterprise - Not a mere courier - Not a principal - Played major role - Substantial sentence called for. Customs Act 1901 (Cth), s.233B(1)(d), s.235(2)(c) LEGISLATION CITED : Telecommunications (Interception) Act 1979 Evidence Act 1995, s.165(1)(2) Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) , ss.16A(1),(2), 16G Regina v Clarke (1995) 78 A Crim R 226 Shepherd v The Queen (1990) 170 CLR 573 Chamberlain v The Queen (No. 2) (1984) 153 CLR 521 Regina v Camilleri (2001) NSWCCA 527 DPP (Cth) v Said Khodor El Karhani (1990) 21 NSWLR 370 CASES CITED: Regina v Paull (1990) 20 NSWLR 427 Regina v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270 Regina v Behar (NSWCCA, 14 October 1998, unreported) Muanchukingkan v Regina (1990) 52 A Crim R 354 Regina v Laurentiu (NSWCCA, 1 October 1992, unreported) Regina v Saxon (1986) 86 A Crim R 353 DECISION : (i) Appeal against conviction dismissed; (ii) Leave to appeal against sentence granted; (iii) Appeal against sentence dismissed.