R v El-Kheir [2004] NSWCCA 461

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : R v El-Kheir [2004] NSWCCA 461 revised - 10/01/2005 HEARING DATE(S) : 29 November 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 20 December 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Tobias JA at 1; Hoeben J at 134; Smart AJ at 135 DECISION : (1) Appeal against conviction allowed; (2) The conviction and sentence of the appellant be quashed and that there be a new trial

CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - Evidence - Character - Bad character - Good character - Whether adduced by defence - Whether evidence given deliberately not inadvertently - Conscience decision - CRIMINAL LAW - Evidence - Character - Requirement for leave - Leave required - Error by trial judge - No miscarriage of justice - Evidence Act, ss 112, 192(2) - CRIMINAL LAW - Jury - Directions - Character direction - Trial judge only directs that evidence of good character able to be considered in relation to guilt - No propensity direction - Requirement to so direct - Risk of jury misunderstanding legitimate use of evidence - CRIMINAL LAW - Evidence - Voice identification evidence - Quality of - Unreliable - Discretion to refuse admission - Identification warning given to jury - Evidence Act, ss 135, 137 Evidence Act 1995 LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes Act 1900 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 BRS v The Queen (1997) 191 CLR 275 Dhanhoa v The Queen (2003) 199 ALR 547 Gabriel v The Queen (1997) 76 FCR 279 Li v The Queen (2003) 139 A Crim R 281 Melbourne v The Queen (1999) 198 CLR 1 CASES CITED : R v Bartle (2003) 181 FLR 1 R v Fuller (1994) 34 NSWLR 233 R v Hamilton (1993) 68 A Crim R 298 Stanoevski v R (2001) 202 CLR 115 Wilde v The Queen (1988) 164 CLR 365 Zoneff v The Queen (2000) 200 CLR 234 PARTIES : Regina Assaad El-Kheir FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 060301/04 COUNSEL : A: Mr M Bracks R: Ms R Burgess SOLICITORS : A: Legal Aid Commission of NSW R: Commonwealth Director Public Prosecutions