Regina v Besodi [2002] NSWCCA 452

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : Regina v Besodi [2002] NSWCCA 452 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60208/02 HEARING DATE(S) : 7 November 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 20 November 2002

PARTIES : Regina v Mohammed Hassan Besodi JUDGMENT OF : Simpson J at 1; Carruthers AJ at 2; Mathews AJ at 73

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 01/11/0965 01/11/1241 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL His Honour Judge Urquhart QC OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Appellant - P. Byrne SC Crown - P.W. Neil SC / R.J. Bromwich SOLICITORS : Appellant - Ross Hill & Associates Crown - Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions CATCHWORDS : Criminal law - appeal against conviction - whether inappropriate cross-examination by Crown Prosecutor caused trial to miscarry - whether adequate directions by trial judge to rectify any prejudice caused by the cross-examination - Sentencing - severity appeal - whether adequate weight given to strong objective circumstances. Commonwealth Crimes Act 1914 s16A(2)(f)(g), 16A(3) LEGISLATION CITED : Criminal Appeal Act 1912, s6(1) Customs Act 1901, s233B(1)(ca) Azzopardi v The Queen (2000) 205 CLR 50 Dyers v The Queen [2002] HCA 45 Festa v The Queen (2000) 76 ALJR 291 CASES CITED: Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Mraz v The Queen (1955) 93 CLR 493 R v Dyers [2000] NSWCCA 335 Wong and Leung v The Queen [2001] 76 ALJR 79 DECISION : Appeal against conviction dismissed. Leave to appeal against sentence granted. Appeal allowed. Sentence quashed. Appellant sentenced to imprisonment for 6 years to commence on 27/2/02 and expire on 26/2/08. Non-parole period of 3 years 9 months to commence on 27/2/02 and expire on 26/11/05.