REGINA v Bilal SKAF, REGINA v Mohammed SKAF [2004] NSWCCA 37

Reported Decision : 60 NSWLR 86

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : REGINA v Bilal SKAF, REGINA v Mohammed SKAF [2004] NSWCCA 37 HEARING DATE(S) : 4 and 5 November 2003 25 and 31 March 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 6 May 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Wood CJ at CL at 1; Sully J at 1 DECISION : Conviction quashed; new trial ordered; sentence adjusted.

CATCHWORDS : Criminal law - sexual offences - identification issues - Evidence Act, s116 - rule 4 - directions as to meaning of "beyond reasonable doubt" - impact of media publicity upon fair trial - directions about suspect's refusal to answer questions in ERISP - directions about lies - consciousness of guilt directions - complainant's evidence as to belief of accused's guilt in matter involving inference - juror misconduct - unauthorised view and experiment - admissibility of evidence of same - appropriate directions to juries prohibiting independent enquiries (D) Evidence Act, ss53, 76, 78, 89, 95, 97, 101, 116 LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act 2000, s13 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, s59 Jury Act 1977, ss68, 68A Dhanhoa v The Queen (2003) 77 ALJR 1433 Domican v The Queen (1992) 173 CLR 555 Edwards v The Queen (1993) 178 CLR 193 Ellis v Deheer [1922] 2 KB 113 Green v The Queen (1971) 126 CLR 28 Kozul v The Queen (1981) 147 CLR 221 R v Adamson NSWCCA, 26 November 1992) R v Amyouni NSWCCA, 18 February 1988 R v Andrew Brown (1907) 7 SR(NSW) 290 R v Astill NSWCCA, 17 July 1992 R v Ball [1961] SR(NSW) 37 R v Bates [1985] 1 NZLR 326 R v Birks (1990) 19 NSWLR 677 R v Chami, M Skaf, Ghanem, B Skaf & Ors [2004] NSWCCA 36 R v Domican (No 3) (1990) 46 A Crim R 428 R v Emmett (1988) 14 NSWLR 327 R v Woolcott Forbes (1944) SR(NSW) 332 R v Fuge (2001) 123 A Crim R 310 R v Gillespie (unreported, Court of Appeal, NZ, 7 February 1989 R v Herring NSWCCA, 29 November 1998 R v Inamata [2003] NSWCCA 19 R v ITA [2003] NSWCCA 174 R v K [2003] NSWCCA 406 CASES CITED : R v Lewis [2003] NSWCCA 332 R v Locchi (1991) 22 NSWLR 309 R v Marshall (2000) 113 A Crim R 190 R v Marsland NSWCCA 17 July 1991 R v Maund, NSWCCA, 16 December 1993 R v Miah (1997) 2 Cr App R 12 R v Minarowska and Koziol (1995) 83 A Crim R 78 R v Mirza [2004] 2 WLR 201 R v Neilan [1992] 1 VR 57 R v Pan [2001] 2 SCR 344 R v Quinn [1962] 2 QB 245 R v Reeves (1992) 29 NSWLR 109 R v Rinaldi and Kessy (1993) 30 NSWLR 605 at 610-11 R v Rudkowsky NSWCCA,15 December 1992 R v Bilal Skaf, Mohamed Ghanem, Belal Hajeid [2004] NSWCCA 74 R v Southammavong [2003] NSWCCA 312 R v Tayyab Sheikh [2004] NSWCCA 38 R v Young [1995] 2 QB 324 Re Mathews and Ford (1973) VR 199 Re Portillo [1997] 2 VR 723 Smith v The Queen (2001) 206 CLR 650 The Queen v Glennon (1992) 173 CLR 592 TKWJ v R (2002) 193 ALR 7 Vaise v Delaval (1785) 1 TR 11, 99 ER 944 Zoneff v The Queen (2000) 200 CLR 234 REGINA PARTIES : Bilal SKAF Mohammed SKAF FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60401/03; 60414/03 Crown: D Arnott/ G Smith Appellant: (B Skaf) P Zahra SC/ A Cook COUNSEL : Appellant: (M Skaf) S Odgers SC/ H Danji Amici curiae: R Cogswell SC/ M G Sexton SC/ J A Quilter Crown: S Kavanagh (Director of Public Prosecutions) SOLICITORS : Appellant: (B Skaf) Galloways Appellant: (M Skaf) W H O'Brien