Carney v R; Cambey v R [2011] NSWCCA 223

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Carney v R; Cambey v R [2011] NSWCCA 223 Hearing dates: 22 September 2011 Decision date: 20 October 2011 Before: Whealy JA James J Hoeben J Decision: In each appeal, the appeal is allowed and the appellant is to have a new trial. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - murder - alternative verdict of manslaughter - joint trial - issue as to whether the accused were present - should manslaughter have been left to jury - miscarriage of justice - conduct of counsel in not asking manslaughter to be left.

CRIMINAL LAW - murder - alternative verdict of manslaughter - not left to jury - meaning of "open on the evidence" - evidence available to support verdict of manslaughter rather than murder - error of law - application of Rule 4, Criminal Appeal Rules - leave to appeal required - appellants lost real chance of being found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

CRIMINAL LAW - murder - alternative verdict of manslaughter - not left to jury - proviso to Criminal Appeal Act 1912, s 6 - test to be applied - nature of error to be taken into account - analysis of High Court decisions post Weiss v R. Legislation Cited: Criminal Appeal Act 1912 ss 4, 6 Criminal Appeal Rules r 4 Cases Cited: R v Kanaan [2005] NSWCCA 385; 64 NSWLR 527 at [46], [99], [101] Gilbert v R [2000] HCA 15; 201 CLR 414 at 416-417 per Gleeson CJ and Gummow J, 434 per Callinan J Gillard v R [2003] HCA 64; 219 CLR 1 at 14-15 per Gleeson CJ and Callinan J, 15 per Gummow J, 34-35, 40 per Hayne J Weiss v The Queen [2005] HCA 81; 224 CLR 300 at [35] - [36], [39] - [45] Pemble v R (1971) 124 CLR 107 per Barwick CJ at 117 - 118 R v Abusafiah (1991) 24 NSWLR 531 at 536 R v Wilson (2005) 62 NSWLR 346 at [20] DJS v R [2010] NSWCCA 200 RWB v R [2010] NSWCCA 147 Kessing v R [2008] NSWCCA 310; 73 NSWLR 22 Cesan v R [2008] HCA 52; 236 CLR 358 AK v State of Western Australia [2008] HCA 8; 232 CLR 438 Gassy v R [2008] HCA 18; 236 CLR 293 Vickers v R [2006] NSWCCA 60; 160 A Crim R 195 at [107] - [108] Darwiche v R [2011] NSWCCA 62 at [170] Carlton v R [2008] NSWCCA 244; 189 A Crim R 332 at 345 Darkan v R [2006] HCA 34; 227 CLR 373 Gassy v R [2008] HCA 18; 236 CLR 293 at [16] - [17] Green v R (1971) 126 CLR 28 at 34 Rafael Cesan v R [2008] HCA 52; 236 CLR 358 at [96] R v Nguyen [2010] HCA 38; 85 ALJR 8 at [50] Blackwell v R [2011] NSWCCA 93 at [50], [55] Category: Principal judgment Parties: Todd Carney (Firs Appellant) Luke Joseph Cambey (Second Appellant) Crown (Respondent) Representation: S Odgers SC (First Appellent) S Hanely SC (Second Appellant) W J Abraham SC (Crown) Legal Aid Commission (First Appellant) O'Brien Solicitors (Second Appellant) Director of Public Prosecutions (Crown) File Number(s): 2009/11701 2009/12114 Publication restriction: Nil Decision under appeal Jurisdiction: 9111 Citation: [2010] NSWSC 369 Date of Decision: 2010-04-30 00:00:00 Before: Fullerton J File Number(s): 2009/11701 2009/12114