Pavitt v Regina [2007] NSWCCA 88

Reported Decision: 169 A CRIM R 452

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION: Pavitt v Regina [2007] NSWCCA 88 This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

HEARING DATE(S): 28 April 2006

JUDGMENT DATE: 2 April 2007

JUDGMENT OF: McColl JA at 1; Adams J at 144; Latham J at 1

DECISION: Appeal dismissed.

CATCHWORDS: Evidence — Criminal trial — admissions — discretion to exclude — covertly recorded conversation between accused and complainant facilitated by police —whether conversation constituted breach of accused's right to silence — whether conversation was the functional equivalent of an interrogation by an agent of the State - Evidence — discretion to exclude evidence — complaint evidence — whether evidence of previous complaints admissible under s 108(3) Evidence Act to restore complainant's credibility in anticipation of suggestion by defence that complainant's evidence was a fabrication - Criminal Law and Procedure — whether summing up to jury adequate — whether trial judge discharged obligation to ensure a fair trial of the accused — whether verdict unreasonable and inconsistent with evidence

Crimes Act 1900 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 LEGISLATION CITED: Criminal Procedure Act 1986 Evidence Act 1995 Listening Devices Act 1984 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Bunning v Cross [1978] HCA 22; (1978) 141 CLR 54 Carr v State of Western Australia [2006] HCATrans 582 Domican v The Queen [1992] HCA 13; (1992) 173 CLR 555 EM v The Queen [2007] HCATrans 65 Foster v The Queen [1992] HCA 63; (1993) 67 ALJR 550 MFA v R [2002] HCA 53; (2002) 213 CLR 606 MacKenzie v R [1996] HCA 35; (1996) 190 CLR 348 Papakosmas v The Queen [1999] HCA 37; (1999) 196 CLR 297 R v Burt [1998] QCA 423; [2000] 1 Qd R 28 R v Carter [2000] VSCA 6; (2000) 1 VR 175 R v Davidson and Moyle; Ex parte Attorney-General (Q) [1996] 2 Qd R 505 R v Davis [1999] NSWCCA 15 R v DH [2000] NSWCCA 360 R v DWH [1999] NSWCCA 255 R v Heffernan; R v Peters (16 June 1998, unreported, BC9802596) R v Ireland [1970] HCA 21; (1970) 126 CLR 321 R v Jeffries (1947) 47 SR (NSW) 284 CASES CITED: R v M [2002] QCA 486; (2002) 135 A Crim R 324 R v Niass [2005] NSWCCA 120 R v Reardon [2002] NSWCCA 203 R v Selsby [2004] NSWCCA 381 R v Singh-Bal (1997) 92 A Crim R 397 R v Sophear Em [2003] NSWCCA 374 R v Stone (unreported, 13 December 1954) R v Swaffield; Pavic v R [1998] HCA 1; (1998) 192 CLR 159 R v Tillot (1991) 53 A Crim R 46 R v Whitmore [1999] NSWCCA 247 R v Workman [2004] NSWCCA 213; (2004) 60 NSWLR 47 Ridgeway v R [1995] HCA 33; (1995) 184 CLR 19 RPS v The Queen [2000] HCA 3; (2000) 199 CLR 620 Swaffield v R (1996) 88 A Crim R 98 Truong v R (1996) 86 A Crim R 188 Van der Meer v The Queen (1988) 62 ALJR 656 R v Hebert [1990] 2 SCR 151 R v Broyles [1991] 3 SCR 595