R v Harris [2011] NSWCCA 105

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: R v Harris [2011] NSWCCA 105 Hearing dates: 1 April 2011 Decision date: 04 May 2011 Before: Simpson J at 1; Davies J at 121; Grove AJ at 122 Decision: Crown appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - appeal - Crown appeal - asserted manifest inadequacy - individual and aggregate sentences - multiple offences - aggravated carjacking - robbery in company - Form 1 offences - escape lawful custody - offender on parole - pleas of guilty - mental illness - drug addiction - youth age - personal circumstances - error in failure to accumulate - finding of special circumstances - no manifest inadequacy CRIMINAL LAW - sentence - structure of sentences - no part of overall non-parole period solely referrable to most serious offence - exercise of discretion - appeal dismissed CRIMINAL LAW - sentence - robbery in company - sentences well below range specified in R v Henry [1999] NSWCCA 111 - whether excessive emphasis placed on mental illness - circumstances warranting sentence imposed - no manifest inadequacy CRIMINAL LAW - sentence - escape lawful custody - where sentences imposed on co-offenders identified as manifestly inadequate - where increased sentence might occasion unfair disparity CRIMINAL LAW - sentence - classification as "extremely high-risk" inmate - onerous conditions of incarceration - offender referred by sentencing judge to Drug Court - s 18B Drug Court Act 1998 - "eligible convicted offender" - circumstances calling for dismissal of Crown appeal Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Crimes Act 1900 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 Drug Court Act 1998 Cases Cited: Cvitan v R [2009] NSWCCA 156 Green v The Queen; Quinn v The Queen [2011] HCATrans 71 R v Barker; R v Gibson [2006] NSWCCA 20 R v Borkowski [2009] NSWCCA 102; 195 A Crim R 1 R v Green and Quinn [2010] NSWCCA 313 R v Henry [1999] NSWCCA 111; 46 NSWLR 346 R v Kelly [2010] NSWCCA 259 R v McIvor [2002] NSWCCA 490; 136 A Crim R 366 R v Thompson (NSWCCA, 21 May 1986, unreported) R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; 49 NSWLR 383 R v Trad [2009] NSWCCA 56; 194 A Crim R 20 R v Van Hong Pham [2005] NSWCCA 94 R v Way [2004] NSWCCA 131; 60 NSWLR 168 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Regina (Appellant) John Joseph Harris (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S Dowling (Appellant) C Loukas (Respondent) Solicitors: S Kavanagh (Solicitor for Public Prosecutions) (Appellant) Aboriginal Legal Services Ltd (Respondent) File Number(s): 2009/39757; 2009/136024 Decision under appeal Jurisdiction: 9101 Date of Decision: 2010-11-05 00:00:00 Before: Flannery DCJ File Number(s): 2009/39757; 2009/136024