Langbein v R [2008] NSWCCA 38

Reported Decision: 181 A Crim R 378 Appeal Outcome: Special leave refused by the High Court - 11 December 2009

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION: Langbein v R [2008] NSWCCA 38 This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

HEARING DATE(S): 13 November 2007

JUDGMENT DATE: 28 February 2008

JUDGMENT OF: McClellan CJ at CL at 1; Hall J at 118; Price J at 119

DECISION: 1. Appeal against conviction is dismissed. 2. Grant leave to appeal the sentence and dismiss the appeal.

CATCHWORDS: CRIMINAL LAW - appeal against conviction - four occasions of sexual conduct in relation to a child - judge's directions to jury - whether summing up lacked balance and objectivity - whether trial judge unfairly bolstered child complainant's evidence and Crown case - CRIMINAL LAW - evidence - whether trial judge erred in admitting evidence of complaint - "fresh in the memory" requirement - re-establishing creditability - whether trial judge erred in his direction on the Markuleski principle - CRIMINAL LAW - application for leave to appeal against sentence - whether the applicant being held in custody with more onerous conditions constitutes special circumstances - rehabilitation of sexual offenders - whether sentence manifestly excessive

LEGISLATION CITED: Crimes Act 1900 Crimes (Serious Sex Offenders) Act 2006

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

Attorney-General for the State of NSW v Tillman [2007] NSWSC 605) Attorney-General for the State of NSW v Winters [2007] NSWSC 1071 B v The Queen (1992) 175 CLR 599 Gardiner v R [2006] 162 A Crim R 233 Graham v The Queen (1998) 195 CLR 606 Hajje v The Queen [2006] NSWCCA 23 Papakosmas v The Queen (1999) 196 CLR 297 Picken v Regina [2007] NSWCCA 319 Power v The Queen (1974) 131 CLR 623 R v Banic [2004] NSWCCA 322 R v Christoph (2003) 140 A Crim R 45 R v Courtney-Smith No 2 (1990) 48 A Crim R 49 R v DBG [2002] NSWCCA 328, 133 A Crim R 227 R v Gent (2005) 162 A Crim R 29 R v Kaliti (2001) NSWCCA 268 CASES CITED : R v Kama (2001) 110 A Crim R 47 R v Machin (1996) 68 SASR 526 R v MDB [2005] NSWCCA 354 R v Markuleski (2001) 52 NSWLR 82 R v Meher [2004] NSWCCA 355 R v Merrin (2001) NSWCCA 255 R v Mostyn (2004) 145 A Crim R 304 R v Potier (2004) NSWCCA 136 R v Rivkin [2004] NSWCCA 7 R v Simpson (2001) 53 NSWLR 704 R v Vinh Le [2000] NSWCCA 49 R v Way (2004) 60 NSWLR 168 R v Zorad (1990) 19 NSWLR 91 Regina v Sukkar [2005] NSWCCA 54 Robinson v R [2006] NSWCCA 192 Skipworth v The Queen [2006] NSWCCA 37