Regina (C'Wealth) v Elomar & Ors [No 11] [2009] NSWSC 385

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Regina (C'Wealth) v Elomar & Ors [No 11] [2009] NSWSC 385

HEARING DATE(S) : 19/02/09

JUDGMENT DATE : 23 February 2009

JURISDICTION : Criminal

JUDGMENT OF : Whealy J at 1

DECISION : I hold that the evidence should not be excluded and may be admitted at trial.

CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - Application to exclude evidence - Seizure of CD's without investigation as to their contents - Absence of belief of seizing officers - Retention by police of seized items after conclusion of criminal proceedings - Consideration of the ambit of matters relevant under s 138 Evidence Act 1995 - Importance of evidence to Crown case

Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW)

Allitt v Sullivan (1988) VR 621 per Brooking J at pp 634-690 Bartlett v Weir (1994) 72 A Crim R 511 at 518 per Beazley J) Chic Fashions (West Wales) Pty Ltd v Jones (1968) 2 QB 299 at 313 at 316 Dixon v Stephens, Supreme Court of NSW, Street J, unreported 2 September 1971 Esso Australia Limited v Curran (1989) 39 A Crim R 57 at 169 George v Rockett (1990) 170 CLR 104 at 115 GH Photographs v McGarrigle (1974) 2 NSWLR 635 at 644-645 Ghani v Jones (1970) 1 QB 693 at 706 Greer v Commissioner of Police [2002] 128 A Crim R 586 CASES CITED : Hart v Commissioner of Australian Federal Police & Ors [2002] 124 FCR 384 at 71-73 Joseph Puglisi & Anor v Australian Fisherman's Management Authority (1997) FCA 846 per Hill J Marinko v Rames Supreme Court of NSW, Hope J unreported 13 August 1971 Ozzie Discount Software (Aust) pty Limited v Muling (1996) 86 A Crim R 397 Parker v Churchill (1985) 63 ALR 326 at 337 per Burchett J Reynolds v Commissioner of Police (1985) 2 WLR 93 R v Baladjam [No 48] 30 September 2008 at (247-254) R v Elomar [No 6] 16 December 2008 at (28-35) Trimboli v Onley [No 3] (1981) 56 FLR 321 Tye v Commissioner of Police (1995) 84 A Crim R 147 per Studdert J