Regina v Ngo [2003] NSWCCA 82

Reported Decision : 57 NSWLR 55

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : Regina v Ngo [2003] NSWCCA 82 revised - 16/04/2003 HEARING DATE(S) : 13 - 15 November 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 3 April 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Stein JA at 1; Sully J at 1; Levine J at 1 DECISION : Appeal against conviction dismissed

CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - JURY - juror inadvertently exposed to inadmissible evidence - whether falure to discharge jury - whether incident gave rise to reasonable apprehension or suspicion on the part of a fair-minded and informed member of the public that the juror or jury has not, or will not discharge its task impartially - whether direction adequate to correct any prejudice or perception of prejudice to the accused EVIDENCE - whether decision to allow witnesses to give evidence by videolink infringed the right of the accused to a fair trial - whether s 20A of the Evidence (Audio and Audio Visual Links) Act 1998 provides that an accused must be able to see witnesses in all circumstances - whether accused has a fundamental right to confront accuser where issues of identity involved - whether trial judge properly balanced the forensic disadvantage suffered by the accused with the rights of witnesses - whether the decision to allow the witnesses to give videolink evidence prevented the accused from attending a part of the proceedings (Supreme Court Rules Part 75 rule 2(8)(b)) EVIDENCE - whether inadequate direction as to lies - whether inadequate direction as to accomplice evidence Evidence Act 1995, ss 55, 56, 87(1)(b) and (c), 108(3)(b), 137, 164, 165(1), (1)(d), (2)(a) (b) and (c), (3),(4) and (5) Evidence (Audio and Audio Visual Links) Act 1998, ss 5(1A), 5(2), 5B(1), 5B(2)(a), (b), (c) and (d), (2A), (3), 20A(a) LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence (Children) Act 1997 Supreme Court Rules (Part 36 rule 2A(1) and Part 75 rule 2(8)(b) European Convention on Human Rights Article 6 Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Canada) Alford v Magee (1952) 85 CLR 437 Ali v The Queen (1981) 6 A Crim R 161 Basto v The Queen (1954) 91 CLR 628 Blakely v The Director of Public Prosecutions [1991] RTR 405 BRS v The Queen (1997) 191 CLR 275 C v The Queen (1993) 67 A Crim R 562 Davies v Director of Public Prosecutions [1954] AC 378 Domican v The Queen (1992) 173 CLR 555 Doney v The Queen (1990) 171 CLR 207 Dyers v R (2002) 192 ALR 181 Festa v The Queen (2001) 208 CLR 593 Giorgianni v The Queen (1985) 156 CLR 473 De Gruchy v The Queen (2002) 190 ALR 441 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Jago v District Court of NSW (1989) 168 CLR 23 Jarvie v Magistrates' Court of Victoria at Brunswick [1995] 1 VR 84 Johnson v Youden [1950] 1 KB 544 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 McKinney v The Queen (1991) 171 CLR 468 Maric v The Queen (1978) 20 ALR 513 Maryland v Craig (1990) 497 US 836 Plomp v The Queen (1963) 110 CLR 234 Pollitt v The Queen (1992) 174 CLR 558 Prosecutor v Tadic 10 August 1995 (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) R v Accused (T4/88) [1989] 1 NZLR 660 R v Ball [1960] 61 NSWR 37 R v Camberwell Green Youth Court and Ors Times On Line Law Reports Edition 2W 13 February 2003 42 CASES CITED : Reg v Chen (2002) 130 A Crim R 300 R v Chidley (1956) 73 WN (NSW) 376 R v Coe [2002] NSWCCA 385 R v Davies and Cody (No 2) [1937] VLR 226 Dietrich v The Queen (1992) 177 CLR 292 Re DJX and Ors (1990) 91 Cr App R 36 R v Glennon (1992) 173 CLR 592 R (Al-Fawwaz) v Governor of Brixton Prison [2001] All ER (D) 239 (Dec) R v L (DO) [1993] 4 SCR 419 R v Levogiannis [1993] 4 SCR 475 R v Lowe (1997) 98 A Crim R 300 Reg v Lowery {No 3] [1972] VR 939 R v McHardie and Danielson [1983] 2 NSWLR 733 Reg v Matthews and Ford [1972] VR 3 Reg v Melville (1956) 73 WN (NSW) 579 R v Ngo (No 2) (2001) 124 A Crim R 151 R v Nguyen [2002] NSWCCA 342 R v Riscuta and Niga [2003] NSWCCA 6 RPS v The Queen (2000) 199 CLR 620 Saffron (No 1) v The Queen (1988) 17 NSWLR 395 R v Savvas, Stevens & Peisley (1989) 43 A Crim R 331 R v Smellie (1919) 14 Crim App Rep 128 R v Sparkes (1996) 88 A Crim R 194 R v Stewart (2001) 52 NSWLR 301 R v Taylor (Gary) [1994] TLR 484 R v Watford Magistrates' Court; ex parte Lenman [1993] Crim LR 388 Webb & Hay v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 41 West v The Queen (1990) 51 A Crim R 317 Zorad v The Queen (1990) 19 NSWLR 91 PARTIES : Regina Phuong Canh Ngo (Appellant) FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA 60484/01 COUNSEL : T Game SC/P Pearsall (Appellant) R Hulme SC/E Wilkins (Crown) SOLICITORS : Selby Levitt (Appellant) S E O'Connor (Crown)