Woodbridge v R [2010] NSWCCA 185

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION: Woodbridge v R [2010] NSWCCA 185

HEARING DATE(S): 11 August 2010

JUDGMENT DATE: 16 December 2010

JUDGMENT OF: McClellan CJatCL at 1; Hulme J at 3; Davies J at 54

DECISION: (1) Appellant's appeal against conviction dismissed. (2) Crown's appeal against sentence upheld. (3) Quash the sentences imposed by Walmsley DCJ. (4) In lieu (i) For the offence of manslaughter – imprisonment for 7 years including a non-parole period of 4 years, both such periods commencing on 27 November 2011; and (ii) For the offence of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm - imprisonment for a fixed term of 3 years commencing on 27 November 2009.

CATCHWORDS: CRIMINAL LAW - appeal and new trial - appeal against conviction - manslaughter by driving - driving whilst intoxicated causing grievous bodily harm - defence of automatism - whether sane or insane automatism - Judge not permitting sane automatism to be left to the jury - whether Accused had adduced evidence sufficient to be left to the jury - whether Accused had a "disease of the mind" - no evidence of sane automatism. CRIMINAL LAW - appeal against sentence - crown appeal - whether sentence manifestly inadequate - hierarchy of offences involving death or serious injury by a motor vehicle - significance of blood alcohol level and distance driven before accident - sentence manifestly inadequate.

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

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

Einfield v R [2010] NSWCCA 87 Falconer V The Queen (1990) 171 CLR 30 Gonzalez v R [2006] NSWCCA 4 M'Naghten's case (1843) 10 Cl & Fin 200; 8 ER 718 R v Amurao [2005] NSWCCA 32 R v Black (unreported, NSWCCA, 23 July 1998) R v Blacklidge (unreported, NSWCCA, 12 December 1995) R v Borkowski [2009] NSWCCA 102; (2009) 195 A Crim R 1 R v Boyle [2009] VSCA 289 R v Cameron [2005] NSWCCA 359; (2005) 157 A Crim R 70 R v Cousins [2002] NSWCCA 81; (2002) 36 MVR 262 R v Clarke (1995) 78 A Crim R 226 R v Cramp [1999] NSWCCA 324; (1999) 110 A Crim R 198 R v Crump (unreported, NSWCCA, 30 May 1994) R v Do [2000] NSWCCA 459 R v Dunlop [2001] NSWCCA 435 R v Forbes (2005) 160 A Crim R 1 CASES CITED : R v Gordon (1994) 71 A Crim R 459 R v Jurisic (1998) 45 NSWLR 209 R v Kalanj (1997) 98 A Crim R 505 R v McKinney [2005] NSWCCA 51; (1999) 29 MVR 355 R v Musumeci (unreported, NSWCCA, 30 October 1997) R v Porter (1933) 55 CLR 182 R v Rayner [2002] NSWCCA 309 R v Reeves [1999] NSWCCA 269; (1999) 29 MVR 451 R v Rushby (1977) 1 NSWLR 594 R v Ryan [2003] NSWCCA 202; (2003) 39 MVR 395 R v Sen [1999] NSWCCA 199 R v Tadman [2001] NSWCCA 225; (2001) 34 MVR 54 R v Youssef (1990) 50 A Crim R 1 R v Vukic [2003] NSWCCA 13; (2003) 38 MVR 475 R v Whyte (2002) 55 NSWLR 252 R v Woodward [2001] NSWCCA 90; (2002) 33 MVR 536 Radford v The Queen (1985) 42 SASR 266 SBF v R [2009] NSWCCA 231 Veen v R (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465