REGINA v. CAO [2004] NSWCCA 61

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION : REGINA v. CAO [2004] NSWCCA 61 HEARING DATE(S) : Wednesday 29 October 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 22 March 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; O'Keefe J at 18; Greg James J at 19 DECISION : The conviction and sentence for murder quashed; order an acquittal on that charge; order a new trial limited to the charge of manslaughter

CATCHWORDS : Criminal law - appeal against conviction - certificate by trial judge - whether conviction unsupported by the evidence or unreasonable - tests to be applied by appellate court whether inference of necessary intent for murder available - whethre power to substitute a convictoin for manslaughter - new trial limited to manslaughter ordered. LEGISLATION CITED : Criminal Appeal Act 1912 King (1986) 161 CLR 423 Parker (1997) 186 CLR 494 Spies (1999-2000) 201 CLR 603 Gipp (1998) 194 CLR 106 Chamberlain (No. 2) (1984) 153 CLR 521 Cutter (1997) 143 ALR 498 Wright (1977) 15 ALR 305 Knight (1992) 109 ALR 225 MFA [2002] HCA 53 M (1994) 181 CLR 487 Whitehorn (1983) 152 CLR 657 Palmer (1992) 106 ALR 1 Morris (1987) 163 CLR 454 CASES CITED : Dyers (2002) 192 ALR 181 G (NSWCCA, unreported 17 February 1992) Kyriakou (1987) 28 A. Crim. R. 50 Merritt & Roso (1985) 19 A. Crim. R. 360 O'Donoghue (1988) 34 A. Crim. R. 397 Coombe (CCA, unreported 24 April 1997) Khouzame [2000] NSWCCA 505 Kurtic (CCA, unreported 26 February 1996) Victorian Stevedoring v. Dignan (1931) 46 CLR 73 Builders Licensing v. Sperway (1976) 135 CLR 616 Raspor (1958) 99 CLR 346 Briginshaw v. Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Ratten (1974) 131 CLR 510 Wilson (1992) 174 CLR 313 PARTIES : REGINA v. CAO, Van Teo FILE NUMBER(S) : CCA No. 60356 of 2003 COUNSEL : Crown: M. Grogan App: R. Hulme, SC. SOLICITORS : Crown: C.K. Smith App: N. Velcic