REGINA v DOOLAN [2010] NSWSC 147

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : REGINA v DOOLAN [2010] NSWSC 147

HEARING DATE(S) : 3, 4, 8 and 9 February 2010

JUDGMENT DATE : 5 March 2010

JURISDICTION : Criminal

JUDGMENT OF : Hall J at 1

DECISION : Not guilty by reason of mental illness

CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - verdict - judge alone trial - murder - circumstantial evidence case - accused not guilty by reason of mental illness

LEGISLATION CITED : Mental Health Act 1990 Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990

Barca v The Queen [1975] 133 CLR 82 Bratty v Attorney-General (Northern Ireland) [1963] AC 386 Martin v Osborne (1936) 55 CLR 367 Peacock v The King (1911) 13 CLR 619 Plomp v The Queen (1963) 110 CLR 234 CASES CITED : Regina v Jennings [2005] NSWSC 789 Regina v Meddings (1966) VR 306 Regina v Porter (1936) 55 CLR 182 Regina v Quick [1973] 1 QB 910 Regina v Radford (1985) 42 SASR 266 The Queen v Falconer (1990) 171 CLR 30

PARTIES : REGINA v Barbara Ann DOOLAN

FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 2008/20567

COUNSEL : C: P Barnett SC O: L Wells SC

SOLICITORS : C: S Kavanagh O: Aboriginal Legal Aid

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COMMON LAW DIVISION CRIMINAL LIST

HALL J

FRIDAY 5 MARCH 2010

No 20567 of 2008

REGINA v BARBARA ANN DOOLAN

JUDGMENT

HIS HONOUR:

(1) INTRODUCTION 1 The accused was charged on indictment dated 6 February 2009 that on 28 July 2005 she did murder her infant son, Zane Doolan, who was then aged five weeks. 2 The accused, who is presently 30 years of age, entered a plea of not guilty to the charge on 3 February 2010.