MG v R [2007] NSWCCA 57

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION: MG v R [2007] NSWCCA 57

HEARING DATE(S): 27 February 2007

JUDGMENT DATE: 5 March 2007

JUDGMENT OF: McClellan CJ at CL at 1; Bell J at 1; Hoeben J at 1

DECISION: 1. Leave to appeal granted and the appeal upheld; 2. Order that the trial of the applicant be stayed until a crown prosecutor other than Ms Cunneen is appointed to prosecute the trial.

CATCHWORDS: CRIMINAL LAW - Section 5F appeal - motion to stay District Court proceedings - motion to restrain Crown Prosecutor from appearing at trial - role and duty of Crown Prosecutor - public comment to media about the trial - expression of opinion - pre-trial publicity - speech to law students - republication in newspapers - published material attributable to Crown Prosecutor - conduct in breach of Bar Rules - breach of Director of Public Prosecution Guidelines - lack of detachment from case - whether applicant denied a fair trial by the prosecutor's conduct - whether stay should be granted– need to ensure proper administration of justice

Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED: Legal Profession Act (1987) NSW Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW) Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1986

Cannon & Anor v Tahche (2002) 5 VR 317 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2001) 205 CLR 337 Grimwade v Meagher (1995) 1 VR 446 House v R (1936) 55 CLR 499 Jago v The District Court of NSW 168 CLR 23 Kallinicos & Anor v Hunt & Ors (2005) 64 NSWLR 561 Livermore v R (2006) NSWCCA 334 Livesey v NSW Bar Association (1983) 151 CLR 288 CASES CITED: R v Apostilides (1984) 154 CLR 563 R v Khazaal [2006] NSWSC 1353 R v McCullough (1982) 6 A Crim R 274 R v TS [2004] NSWCCA 38 Regina v [MC], Regina v [MS], Regina v [MG], Regina v [BS] [2004] NSWCCA 36 Subramaniam v R (2004) 211 ALR 1 Szabo (2000) 112 A Crim R 215 Webb v Hay (1994) 181 CLR 41 Whitehorn v The Queen (1983) 152 CLR 657