Cittadini v R R v Cittadini [2009] NSWCCA 302

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION: Cittadini v R R v Cittadini [2009] NSWCCA 302

HEARING DATE(S): 30 September 2009

JUDGMENT DATE: 18 December 2009

JUDGMENT OF: McClellan CJatCL at 1; Fullerton J at 128; Schmidt J at 129

DECISION: 1. Appeal upheld and the conviction quashed. 2. Direct verdicts of acquittal.

CATCHWORDS: CRIMINAL LAW - appeal - conviction and sentence appeal - defective keel of a yacht causing the death of four people - criminal negligence manslaughter - whether the verdict of the majority of the jury was unreasonable - whether the Crown Prosecutor's final address caused a miscarriage of justice - whether the trial judge erred in respect of the directions to the jury on the "reasonable person" test - whether the trial judge erred in failing to direct the jury that they must be unanimous in respect of one or the other alternative ways in which the Crown put its case - appeal upheld - verdicts of acquittal directed

LEGISLATION CITED: Jury Act 1977

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

Andrews v DPP [1937] 2 All ER 552 Arul Thil Akan v R 2003) HCA 74; (2003) 203 ALR 259 Campbell v The Queen (1981) WAR 286; (1980) 2 A Crim R 157 Causevic v R (2008) NSWCCA 238 Cornwell v R [2007] HCA 12; (2007) 234 ALR 51 Dovuro Pty Ltd v Wilkins [2003] HCA 51; (2003) 215 CLR 317 Fermanis v State of Western Australia [2007] WASCA 84 Fernando v R [2008] NSWCCA 97 Gordon v Ross [2006] NSWCA 157 KBT v The Queen [1997] HCA 54; (1997) 191 CLR 417 Knight v The Queen (1992) 175 CLR 495 M v R (1994) 181 CLR 487 March v Strathmore (E & MH Pty Ltd) (1991) HCA 12; 1991 171 CLR 506 CASES CITED : MFA v R (2002) 213 CLR 606 R v Bateman [1925] All ER Rep 45; (1925) 19 Cr App R 8 R v Cramp [1999] NSWCCA 324 (1999) 110 A Crim R 198 R v Dally (2000) 115 A Crim R 582 R v Hillier [2007] HCA 13; 233 ALR 634 R v Klamo [2008] VSCA 75 R v Lavender (2005) 222 CLR 67 R v Nicholls (1874) 13 Cox CC 75 R v Roulston (1976) 2 NZLR 644 R v Serratore (1999) 48 NSWLR 101 R v Spathis & Patsalis (2001) NSWCCA 476 R v Stone & Dobinson; R v Cowan [1955] VLR 18 R v TakTak (1988) 14 NSWLR 226 Royall v R (1991) HCA 27; (1991) 172 CLR 378 Walsh v R [2002] VSCA 98; (2002) 131 A Crim R 299