R v Biddle [2011] NSWSC 1262

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Biddle [2011] NSWSC 1262 Hearing dates: 12/09/2011 - 15/09/11, 19/09/11 - 23/09/2011, 10/10/11 Decision date: 28 October 2011 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Garling J Decision: (a) A non-parole period of 18 years commencing on 21 February 2009 and finishing on 20 February 2027. (b) A balance of term of nine years commencing on 21 February 2027 and finishing on 20 February 2036. (c) The first day upon which you will be eligible to be released is 20 February 2027 Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - Sentence - Murder - Jury rejected partial defences at trial - No provocation - Capacity to control himself substantially impaired by brain damage subsequent to meningoencephalitis and depression - Impairment not sufficient to reduce liability to manslaughter consistent with jury's verdict

CRIMINAL LAW - Sentence - Murder - Aggravating factors - Use of iron bar - Offence committed in victim's home - Mitigating factors - Not part of any planned or organised criminal activity - Little weight given to victim's conduct and associated relationship tension and general enmity - No prior convictions - Good character - Unlikely to reoffend - Good prospects of rehabilitation - No genuine remorse - Objective seriousness above middle of the range - Importance of deterrence - Special circumstances for varying statutory ratio for non-parole period Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Cases Cited: Cheung v The Queen (2001) 209 CLR 1 Lowe v The Queen (1984) 154 CLR 606 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357 Mill v The Queen (1988) 166 CLR 59 Muldrock v The Queen [2011] HCA 39 Pearce v The Queen (1988) 194 CLR 610 R v Blacklidge (NSWCCA, 12 December 1995, unreported) R v Edwards (1996) 90 A Crim R 510 R v Isaacs (1997) 41 NSWLR 374 R v MacDonell (NSWCCA, 8 December 1995, unreported) R v Previtera (1997) 94 A Crim R 76 R v Way (2004) 60 NSWLR 168 Shaw v R [2008] NSWCCA 58 Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465 Category: Sentence Parties: The Crown Clenton Ronald Biddle Representation: W Creasey (Crown) P Bodor QC (Offender) Director of Public Prosecutions (Crown) Gregory J Goold Solicitor (Offender) File Number(s): SC 2009/137577 Publication restriction: Nil