R v CZAJKOWSKI; R v SHEPHERD [2002] NSWCCA 530

Reported Decision : 137 A Crim R 111

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : R v CZAJKOWSKI; R v SHEPHERD [2002] NSWCCA 530 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60866/01; 60850/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 17 December 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 17 December 2002

PARTIES : Appellants - Hans Johannes Czajkowski and James William Shepherd Respondent - Crown JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA at 1; Wood CJ at CL at 38; Sully J at 39

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 01/11/0661 01/11/0350 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL Keleman DCJ OFFICER :

Appellant Czajkowski - April Francis COUNSEL : Appellant Shepherd - S J Odgers SC Respondent - G J Bellew SOLICITORS : Appellants - Michael Croke & Co Respondent - Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE - Trial by jury - impartiality - bias - written communication from foreperson indicating fear of bias and prejudgment by unspecified jury members - whether jury to be discharged - whether direction overcame prejudice - whether reasonable apprehension that jury had not discharged its task impartially LEGISLATION CITED : Customs Act 1901 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 R v Stretton; R v Story (1982) VR 251 Webb and Hay v R (1994) 181 CLR 41 Sussex Justices; ex parte McCarthy [1924] 1 KB 256 Johnson v Johnson (2000) 201 CLR 488 R v Maxwell 23 December 1998 NSWCCA 27 CASES CITED: R v Piccin (2001) NSWCCA 35 R v van Hoang (2002) 128 A Crim R 422 Bright (2000) 114 A Crim R 466 R v Pearson (2000) 114 A Crim R 80 Williams v R (2000) 119 A Crim R 490 Crofts v R (1996) 186 CLR 427 DECISION : Appeals allowed; Convictions and sentences quashed; New trials of both appellants.