PETROULIAS v R [2007] NSWCCA 134

Reported Decision: 237 FLR 12673 NSWLR 134[2009] ALMD 5956199 A Crim R 151

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION: PETROULIAS v R [2007] NSWCCA 134

HEARING DATE(S): 11 May 2007

JUDGMENT DATE: 16 May 2007

JUDGMENT OF: McClellan CJ at CL at 1; Simpson J at 48; Hoeben J at 83

DECISION: By majority; 1. Appeal upheld; 2. The judgment of Johnson J of 10 May 2007 is vacated; 3. The jury empanelled in the trial of R v Petroulias be discharged.

CATCHWORDS: CRIMINAL PRACTICE - trial by jury - trial of indictable offence against the Commonwealth - Commonwealth Constitution s 80 - tried according to law - requirements of criminal process in a fundamental respect - decision to discharge juror - decision to discharge jury - decision to proceed with fewer than twelve jurors - discharged "for any other reason" - whether miscarriage of power or discretion - nullity - persons disqualified or ineligible - verdict not affected or invalidated - statutory construction - mandatory provisions - Jury Act 1977 (NSW) ss 19, 22, 73 Sch 1

Crimes Act 1914 (Cth); LEGISLATION CITED: Jury Act 1977 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth)

Brownlee v The Queen (2001) HCA 36; 207 CLR 278 Cheatle v The Queen (1993) HCA 44; 177 CLR 541 Crane v Public Prosecutor (1921) 2 AC 299 Hill v Yates (12 East. 229) Johns v The Queen (1979) 141 CLR 409 Katsuno v The Queen (1999) 199 CLR 40; 109 A Crim R 66 Maher v The Queen (1987) 163 CLR 221; 25 A Crim R 261 CASES CITED: R v Brown and R v Tran (2004) 148 A Crim R 268 R v Dempster [1924] SASR 299 R v Hall [1971] VR 293 R v Short (1898) 15 WN (NSW) 140 R v Smith [1954] QWN 49 Swansson v R; Henry v R [2007] NSWCCA 67 Tuckerman v Tuckerman (1932) 32 SR (NSW) 220 Wilde v The Queen (1988) 164 CLR 365 Wu v The Queen (1999) HCA 52; 199 CLR 99