R v MacDonnell [2002] NSWCCA 34

Reported Decision : (2002) 128 A Crim R 44

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : R v MacDonnell [2002] NSWCCA 34 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60690/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 4/2/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 5 March 2002

PARTIES : Regina Glen Lawrence MacDonnell JUDGMENT OF : Wood CJ at CL at 1; Sully J at 60; Dowd J at 61

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 00/11/0321 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL Woods DCJ OFFICER :

COUNSEL : R A Hulme (Crown) S J Odgers SC (Respondent) SOLICITORS : S E O'Connor (Crown) Watsons (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - Crown appeal against sentence - supply of heroin, methylamphetamine and cocaine - manifest inadequacy of sentence due to significant role played by respondent in supply - trial judge incorrectly assessed respondent's level of contrition, and the utiilitarian value of late plea of guilty - discount for asssitance erroneously applied wholly to the non parole period - excessive weight given to subjective circumstances - accumulation of sentence more appropriate than concurrency due to duration, frequency and volume of drug supply - appeal allowed - respondent resentenced. Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999; s 23, 44(2) LEGISLATION CITED : Criminal Appeal Act 1912 ; s 5D Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985; s 32, 33(3a) AB v The Queen (1999) 198 CLR 111 Cameron v The Queen [2002] HCA 6 Dinsdale v The Queen (2000) 74 ALJR 1538 Everett v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 295 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Pearce v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 610 Postiglione v The Queen (1997) 189 CLR 295 Regina v Allpass (1993) 72 A Crim R 56 Regina v Cartwright (1989) 17 NSWLR 243 Regina v Charles Michael Cassar [1999] NSWCCA 152 Regina v Ceissman [2001] NSWCCA 73 Regina v Darwiche [1999] NSWCCA 297 CASES CITED: Regina v Giam (No. 2) (1999) 109 A Crim R 348 Regina v Glasby [2000] NSWCCA 83 Regina v Khaled Hamzy (1994) 74 A Crim R 341 Regina v Syed Tareq Hameed [2001] NSWCCA 287 Regina v Laurentio and Becheru (1992) 63 A Crim R 402 Regina v Qing Quan Liang NSWCCA, 2 June 1995 Regina v Paul Kon Lim, NSWCCA 28 September 1993 Regina v Lowe (1984) 154 CLR 606 Regina v Reid [2000] NSWCCA 166 Regina v Thomson and Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 Regina v Williams, NSWCCA 24 July 1990 Vogel v Anderson (1967) 120 CLR 157 Wong and Leung v The Queen (2001) 76 ALJR 79 DECISION : Appeal allowed. Sentences in respect of counts 1 and 3 quashed. Respondent resentenced. See para 56.