Regina v Pearson [2005] NSWCCA 116

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION: Regina v Pearson [2005] NSWCCA 116

HEARING DATE(S): 24/03/05

JUDGMENT DATE: 20 April 2005

JUDGMENT OF: James J at 1; Hislop J at 85; Hall J at 86

DECISION: Leave to appeal against sentences granted. Appeal dismissed.

CATCHWORDS: CRIMINAL LAW - sentence - aggravated indecent assault - using a child under fourteen years for pornographic purposes - principal in second degree to another doing something intending to hinder the investigation of a serious indictable offence - whether the sentencing judge took into account as an aggravating feature of the offence the complainant's vulnerability having regard to the complainant's age, when age was an element of the offence - whether insufficient weight given to pleas of guilty - whether mistake of fact in relation to criminal antecedents - whether findings of fact unsupported by any evidence - whether sentence was manifestly excessive

Crimes Act LEGISLATION CITED: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act Criminal Appeal Act

House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 The Queen v De Simoni (1981) 147 CLR 383 R v Astill (No. 2) (1992) 64 A Crim R 289 R v Castles [2005] NSWCCA 79 R v Cocking [1999] NSWCCA 311 R v Cramp [2004] NSWCCA 264 R v Hanslow [2004] NSWCCA 163 CASES CITED: R v Ingrassia (1996) 41 NSWLR 447 R v Johnstone [2004] NSWCCA 307 R v Khouzame [2000] NSWCCA 505 R v Mohamadin [2004] NSWCCA 401 R v Scott [ 2003] NSWCCA 286 R v Thomson; R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Way (2004) 60 NSWLR 168 R v Wickham [2004] NSWCCA 193