R v Sio (No. 4) [2013] NSWSC 1415

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Sio (No. 4) [2013] NSWSC 1415 Hearing dates: 23 September 2013 Decision date: 23 September 2013 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: Adamson J Decision: (1) The trial continue with the remaining eleven jurors. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - juries - application to discharge whole jury - whether research of discharged juror contaminated whole jury - no risk of substantial miscarriage of justice Legislation Cited: - Jury Act 1977, s 22, s 53A, s 53C, s 53C(1), s 53C(1)(b) Cases Cited: - R v K [2003] NSWCCA 406; 59 NSWLR 431 - R v Sio (No. 3) [2013] NSWSC 1414 - Wu v The Queen [1999] HCA 52; 199 CLR 99 Category: Interlocutory applications Parties: Regina Daniel Jefferey Sio (Accused) Representation: Counsel: PE Barrett (Crown) CJ Watson (Accused) Solicitors: Director of Public Prosecutions (Crown) Sydney Criminal & Traffic Lawyers (Accused) File Number(s): 2012/334972 Publication restriction: Nil

EXTEMPORE Judgment

Introduction 1I discharged a juror for misconduct pursuant to s 53A of the Jury Act 1977 (the Act): R v Sio (No. 3) [2013] NSWSC 1414 (R v Sio (No. 3)). It remains for me to consider the next question: whether the discharge of a single juror ought lead to a discharge of the whole of the jury or whether I should order that the trial continue pursuant to s 53C of the Act. The questions whether a single juror ought be discharged and whether the whole jury ought be discharged are separate questions and must be addressed distinctly: Wu v The Queen [1999] HCA 52; 199 CLR 99 at [6] per Gleeson CJ and Hayne J, [28]-[30] per McHugh J and [67] per Kirby J.