Des Rosiers v Regina [2006] NSWCCA 16

Reported Decision : 159 A Crim R 549

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION: Des Rosiers v Regina [2006] NSWCCA 16 This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

HEARING DATE(S): 23 January 2006

JUDGMENT DATE: 10 February 2006

JUDGMENT OF: McClellan CJ at CL at 1; Howie J at 2; Latham J at 3

DECISION: Leave to appeal granted: Appeal allowed; Quash the sentences imposed by Black DCJ on 24 February 2005: For the offence of Supply a Large Commercial Quantity of LSD, and taking into account the offences on the Form 1 a non-parole period of 12 years to date from 20 April, 2004, expiring 19 April 2016, the balance of the term being 6 years, expiring 19 April 2022; For the offence of Supply an Indictable Quantity of MDMA a non-parole period of 5 years to date from 20 April 2004, expiring 19 April 2009, the balance of the term being 2 years 6 months, expiring 19 October 2011; For the offence of Supply a Traffickable Quantity of Cannabis, a non-parole period of 2 years, to date from 20 April 2004, expiring 19 April 2006, the balance of the term being 1 year, expiring 19 April 2007; For the offence of Supply LSD, a sentence of 2 years fixed term to date from 20 April 2004, expiring 19 April 2006. The applicant is eligible for release to parole on 20 April 2016.

CATCHWORDS: Sentence appeal - Supply large commercial quantity of LSD - Imposition of sentence in excess of maximum penalty - Failure to comply with Pearce - Relevance of standard non-parole period.

LEGISLATION CITED: Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999

R v Cramp [2004] NSWCCA 264 R v Itaoui [2005] NSWCCA 415 R v Mills (2005) 154 A Crim R 40; [2005] NSWCCA 175 R v Way [2004] NSWCCA 131 Pearce v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 610 R v O'Neill [2005] NSW CCA 353 R v Tadrosse [2005] NSWCCA 145 R v Felton [2002] NSWCCA 443; (2002) 135 A Crim R 328 R v Mangelsdorf & Ors (1995) 83 A Crim R 272 R v Nai Poon (2003) 56 NSWLR 284 R v Dang [2005] NSW CCA 430 R v Thomson and Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; 115 A Crim R 104 CASES CITED: R v Johnstone [2004] NSWCCA 307 R v Holyoak (1995) 82 A Crim R 502 at 507 R v Crowley (1991) 55 A crim R 201 R v Hunter (1984) 36 SASR 101 R v Yates [1985] VR 41 R v Bazley (1993) 65 A Crim R 154 R v Cumberbatch (2004) 144 A Crim R 253 R v Gallagher (1991) 23 NSWLR 220 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HC 25 [37] R v So [2004] NSWCCA 362 R v Fakhreddine and Doudar [2004] NSWCCA 354 Attorney General's Application under s 37 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 No. 1 of 2000 (2002) 56 NSWLR 146 R v Pellew [2004] NSWCCA 434 at pars 36 and 37 R v Mills [2005] NSWCCA 175 at par 53