REGINA v SHARMA [2002] NSWCCA 142

Reported Decision : 54 NSWLR 300 130 A Crim R 238

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : REGINA v SHARMA [2002] NSWCCA 142 FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60894/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 15/4/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 24 April 2002

PARTIES : Regina Ravinesh Dutt SHARMA JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Mason P at 86; Barr J at 87; Bell J at 88; McClellan J at 89

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 01/11/0378 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL Woods QC DCJ OFFICER :

G E Smith / E A Wilkins (Crown) COUNSEL : C B Craigie SC / H Cox (Respondent) R D Cogswell SC / M Buscombe / B Baker (Attorney General) A C Haesler SC (Senior Public Defender) S E O'Connor (Crown) SOLICITORS : Glenn K Walsh (Respondent) I V Knight (Attorney General) D J Humphreys (Public Defender) CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - crown appeal against sentence - armed robbery in company - plea of guilty - whether error in separate account for and quantification of plea - "two stage approach" - whether error in taking into account utilitarian value of plea - objective and subjective considerations - "ambiguous" - whether R v Thomson (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 should be overruled - whether sentence manifestly inadequate - Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, s22 - Interpretation Act 1987, s34 Crimes Act 1900 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 LEGISLATION CITED : Interpretation Act 1987 Penalties and Sentences Act 1985 (Vic) Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) Sentencing Act 1995 (WA) AB v The Queen (1999) 198 CLR 111 Bowtell v Goldsborough Mort & Co Ltd (1905) 3 CLR 444 Cameron v The Queen [2002] HCA 6; 76 ALJR 382 Castlemaine Tooheys Ltd v South Australia (1990) 169 CLR 436 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v EI Karhani (1990) 21 NSWLR 370 Ellerman Lines Ltd v Murray [1931] AC 126 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Teoh (1995) 183 CLR 273 R v AEM Snr [2002] NSWCCA 58 R v Donnelly [1998] 1 VR 645 R v Gallagher (1991) 23 NSWLR 220 R v Giakas [1988] VR 973 R v Gray [1977] VR 225 R v Hall (1994) 76 A Crim R 454 CASES CITED: R v Laurentiu and Becheru (1992) 63 A Crim R 402 R v Morton [1986] VR 863 R v Paull (1990) 20 NSWLR 427 R v Pham (1991) 55 A Crim R 128 R v Place [2002] SASC 101 R v Powell [2001] SASC 450 R v Shannon (1979) 21 SASR 442 R v Simpson [2001] NSWCCA 534 R v Sutherland (SASC, 16 November 1992, unreported) R v Thomson (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Winchester (1992) 58 A Crim R 345 Repatriation Commission v Vietnam Veterans' Association (2000) 48 NSWLR 548 Siganto v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 656 Wong v The Queen [2001] HCA 64; 76 ALJR 79 DECISION : 1. Crown appeal allowed; 2. Sentence imposed quashed; 3. Respondent sentenced to two years imprisonment with a non-parole period of eighteen months, after which the Respondent is to be released to parole.