Regina v Joseph Sukkar [2006] NSWCCA 92

Reported Decision : 172 A Crim R 151

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION: Regina v Joseph Sukkar [2006] NSWCCA 92

HEARING DATE(S): 25 January 2006

JUDGMENT DATE: 30 March 2006

JUDGMENT OF: McClellan CJ at CL at 1; Howie J at 2; Latham J at 7

DECISION: Appeal allowed; Sentence imposed by Norrish QC DCJ on 2 September 2005 quashed; Respondent sentenced to 20 years imprisonment to date from 5 December 2001, expiring 4 December 2021, non-parole period of 12 years to date from 5 December 2001 expiring 4 December 2013

CATCHWORDS: Crown appeal - Importation of commercial quantity of MDMA - extent of discount for plea of guilty and assistance - objective criminality of respondent erroneously assessed as equal to partner in criminal enterprise

Criminal Appeal Act 1912 LEGISLATION CITED: Customs Act 1901 (Cth) Crimes Act (Cth) 1914 Crimes Legislation Amendment (People Smuggling, Firearms Trafficking and Other Measures) Act 2002 (Cth)

R v Bragias (1997) 92 A Crim R 330 R v Todd (1982) 2 NSWLR 517 Mill v The Queen (1988) 166 CLR 59 R v Cartwright (1989) 17 NSWLR 243 R v Mostyn (2004) 145 A Crim R 304 R v Gutierrez [2004] NSWCCA 22 R v Prasad [2004] NSWCCA 293 The Queen v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Louis Sukkar [2005] NSWCCA 55 Veen (No. 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465 CASES CITED: R v McDonald [1998] NSWSC 569 R v Barker [2006] NSWCCA 20 R v Gibson [2006] NSWCCA 20 R v Perez Vargas (1986) 8 NSWLR 559 R v Hayes (1981) 3 A Crim R 286 R v Gallagher NSWCCA 16 May 1991 (unreported) R v Shepherd [2003] NSWCCA 287 R v El Hani [2004] NSWCCA 162 R v Wall [2002] NSWCCA 42 R v Speer [2004] NSWCCA 118 R v Schofield [2003] NSWCCA 3