Director of Public Prosecutions v Priestley [2013] NSWSC 407

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Director of Public Prosecutions v Priestley [2013] NSWSC 407 Hearing dates: 9 November 2012 Decision date: 24 April 2013 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Adams J Decision: 1. Summons dismissed. 2. The plaintiff to pay the defendant's costs. Catchwords: Appeal from Local Court. Statutory interpretation - meaning of staying overnight - whether void for uncertainty - question of law alone - construction of penal provisions. Local government - power to erect notices prohibiting conduct in public places. Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 Local Government Act 1993 National Security Act 1939-1943 World Youth Day Act 2006 State Electricity Commission Act 1928 (Vic) Cases Cited: Anchorage Butchers Limited v Law (1939) 42 WALR 40 Beckwith v The Queen (1976) 135 CLR 569 City of Brunswick Corporation v Stewart (1941) 65 CLR 88 Collector of Customs v Pozzolanic Enterprises Pty Ltd [1993] FCA 322 Evans v State of New South Wales (2008) 250 ALR 33 Ex parte Zietsch; Re Craig (1944) 44 SR (NSW) 360 Foster v Aloni [1951] VLR 481 King Gee Clothing Co Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth (1945) 71 CLR 184 Kruse v Johnson (1898) 2 QB 91 Merrell v Roberts (1909) 26 WN (NSW) 73 R v Parr [2009] VSC 166 R v Goreng-Goreng [2008] ACTSC 74 Texts Cited: Geddes and Pearce, Statutory Interpretation in Australia, 7th ed (2011) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Director of Public Prosecutions (plaintiff) Lance Priestley (defendant) Representation: Counsel: M W Anderson (plaintiff) J Donnelly (defendant) Solicitors: S C Kavanagh, Solicitor for the Director of Public Prosecutions (plaintiff) File Number(s): 2012/243969 Decision under appeal Date of Decision: 2012-05-17 00:00:00 Before: Barkell LCM File Number(s): LC 2012/16908