R (Cth) v Cheung; R (Cth) v Choi [2010] NSWCCA 244

Reported Decision: 203 A Crim R 398

New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal

CITATION: R (Cth) v Cheung; R (Cth) v Choi [2010] NSWCCA 244

HEARING DATE(S): 31 March 2009

JUDGMENT DATE: 28 October 2010

JUDGMENT OF: McClellan CJatCL at 1; Simpson J at 2; Buddin J at 154

DECISION: Crown appeal dismissed

CATCHWORDS: CRIMINAL LAW – Commonwealth Criminal Code – particular offences – drug offences – manufacturing commercial quantity of controlled drug (methamphetamine) – CRIMINAL LAW – Crown appeal against manifest inadequacy of sentence – objective gravity of offences – CRIMINAL LAW – sentence – sentencing procedure – sentencing statistics – applicable range of sentences – consideration of comparable offences – comparable sentences under Commonwealth law – comparable sentences under state law – appropriate basis for comparison – CRIMINAL LAW – enactment of s 68A Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 – construction of s 68A – partial resolution by publication of R v JW – whether s 68A applies to Crown appeals – preclusion from taking into account double jeopardy element: R v De La Rosa – discretion to reject Crown appeal – Crown appeal dismissed

Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED: Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) Customs Act 1901 (Cth) Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

El-Ghourani v R [2009] NSWCCA 140; (2009) 195 A Crim R 208 Maldonado v R [2009] NSWCCA 189 R v Anderson [2004] NSWCCA 317 R v Baker [2000] NSWCCA 85 R v Cameron [2002] HCA 6; (2002) 209 CLR 339 R v De La Rosa [2010] NSWCCA 208 R v El-Azzi [2004] NSWCCA 455 R v Fahda [1999] NSWCCA 267 R v Israil [2002] NSWCCA 255 R v JW [2010] NSWCCA 49 R v Kevenaar [2004] NSWCCA 210; (2004) 148 A Crim R 155 R v Laurentiu (1992) 63 A Crim R 402 R v Lee [2007] NSWCCA 234 R v Lo (District Court of New South Wales, 16 June 2006, unreported) CASES CITED : R v Mascaro-Varillas [2002] NSWCCA 524 R v Millerat [2005] NSWCCA 142 R v Otto [2005] NSWCCA 333; (2005) 157 A Crim R 525 R v Pedavoli [2002] NSWCCA 87; (2002) 128 A Crim R 137 R v Riddell [2009] NSWCCA 96; (2009) 194 A Crim R 524 R v Rivadavia; R v El Akkaoui; R v Aksu [2004] NSWCCA 284; (2004) 61 NSWLR 63 R v Shi [2004] NSWCCA 135 R v Studenikin [2004] NSWCCA 164; (2004) 60 NSWLR 1 R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v To [2007] NSWCCA 200; (2007) 172 A Crim R 121 R v Wall [2002] NSWCCA 42; (2002) 71 NSWLR 692 R v Wong; R v Leung [1999] NSWCCA 420; (1999) 48 NSWLR 340 Song Lin v R [2007] NSWCCA 368 Tyler v R; R v Chalmers [2007] NSWCCA 247; (2007) 173 A Crim R 458 TYN v R [2009] NSWCCA 146; (2009) 195 A Crim R 345 Wong v The Queen; Leung v The Queen [2001] HCA 64; (2001) 207 CLR 584