R v Thomas Sam; R v Manju Sam (No. 18) [2009] NSWSC 1003

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : R v Thomas Sam; R v Manju Sam (No. 18) [2009] NSWSC 1003

HEARING DATE(S) : 5 June 2009, 2 July 2009, 13 August 2009

JUDGMENT DATE : 28 September 2009

JUDGMENT OF : Johnson J at 1

DECISION : 1. Thomas Sam, for the offence of manslaughter of Gloria Mary Thomas, you are sentenced to a non-parole period of six years to date from 2 July 2009 and to expire on 1 July 2015 with a balance of term of two years to commence on 2 July 2015 and to expire on 1 July 2017. 2. Manju Sam, for the manslaughter of Gloria Mary Thomas, you are sentenced to a non-parole period of four years to date from 28 September 2009 and to expire on 27 September 2013 with a balance of term of one year and four months to commence on 28 September 2013 and to expire on 27 January 2015

CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - sentence after trial - manslaughter by criminal negligence - parents convicted of manslaughter of nine-month old daughter - omission to obtain appropriate medical treatment - objectively grave offences

LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes Act 1900 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999

CATEGORY : Sentence

R v Sam (No. 17) [2009] NSWSC 803 Nydam v R [1977] VR 430 The Queen v Lavender (2005) 222 CLR 67 Cheung v The Queen [2001] 209 CLR 1 The Queen v Olbrich [1999] 199 CLR 270 R v Peisley (1990) 54 A Crim R 42 R (Cth) v Petroulias (No. 36) [2008] NSWSC 626 R v Qutami (2001) 127 A Crim R 369 R v Palu (2002) 134 A Crim R 174 R v O'Brien [2003] NSWCCA 121 CASES CITED : Hopley v R [2008] NSWCCA 105 R v Foulstone (NSWCCA, 18 July 1990) R v Howard [2001] NSWCCA 309 R v Wilkinson [1999] NSWCCA 248 R v Forbes (2005) 160 A Crim R 1 R v Jagroop [2009] VSCA 46 R v Dawes [2004] NSWCCA 363 R v MD (2005) 156 A Crim R 372 R v Isaacs (1997) 41 NSWLR 374 R v Dalley (2000) 115 A Crim R 582 R v Fidow [2004] NSWCCA 172