R v Tongahai [2010] NSWSC 227

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : R v Tongahai [2010] NSWSC 227

HEARING DATE(S) : 26/10/09, 27/10/09, 28/10/09, 29/10/09, 02/11/09, 03/11/09, 04/11/09, 05/11/09, 06/11/09, 09/11/09, 10/11/09, 11/11/09, 16/11/09, 17/11/09, 18/11/09, 19/11/09, 23/11/09, 24/11/09 25/11/09, 26/11/09, 27/11/09, 30/11/09, 01/12/09, 02/12/09, 12/02/10, 05/03/10

JUDGMENT DATE : 26 March 2010

JUDGMENT OF : Buddin J

DECISION : For the offence of assaulting Jordan Buchanan and occasioning actual bodily harm to her the offender is sentenced to a fixed term of 15 months to commence on 29 April 2008 and to expire on 28 July 2009. For the murder of Solomon Penitani the offender is sentenced to a non-parole period of 18½ years imprisonment to commence on 29 October 2008 and to expire on 28 April 2027 with a total sentence of 24½ years imprisonment to expire on 28 April 2033. The total effective non-parole period is thus 19 years imprisonment and the total effective sentence is thus 25 years imprisonment. The offender will be eligible for release on parole on 28 April 2027.

CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - Sentencing - offender convicted of murder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm - applicability of standard non-parole period - offender on parole at time of commission of offences

LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999

CATEGORY : Sentence

DPP v RHB (2008) 189 A Crim R 178 MAH v R [2006] NSWCCA 226 R v AJP (2004) 150 A Crim R 575 R v FD & JD (2006) 160 A Crim R 392 CASES CITED : R v McNaughton (2006) 66 NSWLR 566 R v Previtera (1997) 94 A Crim R 76 R v Simpson (2001) 53 NSWLR 704 R v Way (2004) 60 NSWLR 168 The Queen v MLP (2006) 164 A Crim R 93 Veen v The Queen (No2) (1988) 164 CLR 465