Dwayhi v R; Bechara v R [2011] NSWCCA 67

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Dwayhi v R; Bechara v R [2011] NSWCCA 67 Hearing dates: 21 February 2011 Decision date: 05 April 2011 Before: Whealy JA at 1 Hidden J at 2 Johnson J at 3 Decision: With respect to the Applicant Fadhi Dwayhi, leave to appeal is granted, but the appeal is dismissed. With respect to the Applicant Badoui Bechara: (a) leave to appeal is granted; (b) the sentences imposed in the District Court on 21 August 2009 are quashed; (c) in their place, Badoui Bechara is sentenced as follows: (i) on the first count, sentenced to imprisonment for three years commencing on 21 August 2009 and expiring on 20 August 2012; (ii) on the second count, sentenced to imprisonment for two years commencing on 21 August 2009 and expiring on 20 August 2011; (iii) pursuant to s.19AC Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) , Badoui Bechara is to be released on 20 August 2011 on a recognizance release order, himself the sum of $1,000.00, to be of good behaviour for the balance of the sentence; (iv) confirm the reparation order made by the District Court under s.21B Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) in the sum of $101,632.00 in favour of the Commissioner of Taxation. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - sentence - obtain benefit by deception under s.134.2(1) Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) - lodgement of false Business Activity Statements with ATO to obtain GST refund - Dwayhi an ATO verification officer acting corruptly to process sham returns - Bechara a businessman who obtained benefit - Kertebani another businessman who obtained benefit - three offenders sentenced by different judges - Dwayhi and Bechara claim legitimate sense of grievance by reference to Kertebani's sentence - different charges against each offender - different roles of offenders - gross breach of trust by Dwayhi as ATO employee - principle of parity, proportionality or relativity between sentences of offenders involved in same criminal enterprise - objective test of legitimate grievance - requirement for marked and unjustifiable disparity - strong desirability that related offenders be sentenced by same judge - necessity for courts and prosecutorial bodies to actively promote this practice - Dwayhi not establish legitimate sense of grievance - Bechara does - error established - Bechara resentenced Legislation Cited: Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 Cases Cited: R v Kertebani; Kertebani v R [2010] NSWCCA 221 R v Wei Pan [2005] NSWCCA 114 Lewins v R [2007] NSWCCA 189 Nguyen v R [2008] NSWCCA 308 Gurney v R; Willetts v R [2011] NSWCCA 48 Pavicevic v R [2010] ACTCA 25 England v R; Phanith v R [2009] NSWCCA 274 Postiglione v The Queen [1997] HCA 26; 189 CLR 295 R v Li [2005] NSWCCA 154 Jimmy v R [2010] NSWCCA 60; 240 FLR 27 R v Wing Cheong Li [2010] NSWCCA 125 Lowe v The Queen [1984] HCA 46; 154 CLR 606 R v Mercieca [2004] VSCA 170 R v Rodden [2005] VSCA 24 R v Swan [2006] NSWCCA 47 R v Spizzerri [2001] VSCA 49 R v Nguyen; R v Pham [2010] NSWCCA 238 Pearce v The Queen [1998] HCA 57; 194 CLR 610 OM v R [2009] NSWCCA 267 R v Ismunandar [2002] NSWCCA 477; 136 A Crim R 206 R v Hoole (NSWCCA, 17 March 1989) Cao v R [2010] NSWCCA 109 R (Cth) v Petroulias (No. 36) [2008] NSWSC 626; 73 ATR 83 R v Nikolovska [2010] NSWCCA 169 R v Thalari [2009] NSWCCA 170; 75 NSWLR 307 Maldonado v R [2009] NSWCCA 189 R v Bernier (1998) 101 A Crim R 144 Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen [2010] HCA 45; 85 ALJR 195 Lai v R [2011] NSWCCA 16 Alvares v R; Farache v R [2011] NSWCCA 33 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Fadi Dwayhi (Applicant) Badoui Bechara (Applicant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr H Dhanji SC (Applicant/Dwayhi) Mr T Gartelmann (Applicant/Bechara) Mr N Adams (Respondent/Crown) Solicitors: Legal Aid NSW (Applicant/Dwayhi) Elie Rahme & Associates (Applicant/Bechara) Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (Respondent/Crown) File Number(s): 2008/6136 (Dwayhi) 2008/6135 (Bechara) Decision under appeal Before: Zahra SC DCJ (Dwayhi) Solomon DCJ (Bechara) File Number(s): 2008/11/0334 (Dwayhi) 2008/11/0333 (Bechara)