Nicopoulos v Commissioner for Corrective Services [2004] NSWSC 562

Reported Decision : 148 A Crim R 74

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Nicopoulos v Commissioner for Corrective Services [2004] NSWSC 562 HEARING DATE(S) : 21, 26, 27 & 28 May 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 29 June 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Smart AJ at 1 DECISION : See para 117

CATCHWORDS : Commissioner exercising power under cl 105 of Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation to prevent solicitor entering gaols for legal visits for alleged breach of cl 97 and on intelligence information - non-disclosure of that information yet taken into account - eliding rules of procedural fairness to virtually nothing in circumstances - Commisioner's decision subject to judicial review - Operation of s 130 of Evidence Act 1995 - reputation and livelihood of solicitor at stake and interests of client inmate likely to be affected. Australian Law Reform Commission, Evidence, Vol 1 British Nationality Act 1981 Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation 2001 LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 Evidence Act 1995 Prisons Act 1952 Summary Offences Act s 27E Supreme Court Act 1970 A-G v Ryan [1980] AC 718 Alister v The Queen (1983) 50 ALR 41 at 44-45 Amer v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs unrep 18 December 1989 Applicant Veal of 2002 v Minister for Immigration [2003] FCA 4 Ball v Minister for Immigration [2003] FCA 699 Bromley v Dawes (1983) 34 SASR 73 Doody v Secretary of State for the Home Dept [1994] 1 AC 531 at 560 Flynn v The King (1949) 79 CLR 1 Gilson v Minister for Immoigration 21 July 1997 Lehane J, BC9703148 Johns v Australian Securities Commission (1993) 178 CLR 408 at 472 CASES CITED : Kioa v West (1985) 159 CLR 550 at 615 Leech v Deputy Governor of Parkhurst Prison [1988] AC 533 McEvoy v Lobban [1990] 2 Qd R 235 O'Reilly v Mackman [1983] 2 AC 237 at 279 Ousley v The Queen (1997) 192 CLR 69 at 79-80 Palmer v Kizon (1997) 72 FCR 409 R v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Fayed & Anor [1997] 1 All ER 228 Russell v Duke of Norfolk [1949] 1 All ER 109 at 11 Smith v Commissioner of Corrective Services [1978] 1 NSWLR 317 at 328 The Queen v Forbes, ex parte Bevan (1972) 127 CLR 1 at 7 Vezitis v McGeechan [1974] 1 NSWLR 718 WAFG v Minister for Immigratin [2003] FCA 3 PARTIES : James Nicopoulos v Commissioner for Corrective Services FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 30036/04 COUNSEL : (P) C Steirn SC & F Santisi (D) N Perram & N Bilinski SOLICITORS : (P) Spanko Soulos & Co (D) I V Knight