GEDEON, Gilbert v R [2013] NSWCCA 257

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: GEDEON, Gilbert v R [2013] NSWCCA 257 Hearing dates: 25 - 26 March 2013 Decision date: 12 November 2013 Before: Bathurst CJ at [1]; Beazley P at [347]; Hoeben CJ at CL at [348]; Blanch J at [349]; Price J at [350] Decision: 1. Appeal against conviction dismissed. 2. Grant leave to appeal against sentence but dismiss the appeal. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - appeal against conviction - two counts of supply in contravention of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985. CONSTITUTIONAL LAW - inconsistency between State and Commonwealth laws - whether s 25 of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 is inconsistent with s 233B of the Customs Act 1901 (Cth). EVIDENCE - admissibility - improperly obtained evidence - gravity of impropriety or contravention - evidence gathered pursuant to authority under the Law Enforcement (Controlled Operations) Act 1997 - authority subsequently held to be invalid. EVIDENCE - admissibility - improperly obtained evidence - whether the trial judge correctly assessed the overall risk of harm of the controlled operation to the community. EVIDENCE - admissibility - improperly obtained evidence - whether the trial judge erred in considering the defence of reasonable excuse in relation to s 233B of the Customs Act 1901 (Cth). EVIDENCE - admissibility - improperly obtained evidence - whether desirability of admitting the illegally or improperly obtained evidence outweighed the undesirability. EVIDENCE - witness - cross-examination on voir dire - privilege - self-incrimination - whether answers would tend to prove an offence against a law of a foreign country - proof of foreign law - whether the interests of justice required that the evidence be given over objection. CRIMINAL LAW - sentencing - parity principle. Legislation Cited: Constitution, s 109 Crimes Act 1914 (Cth), ss 4C, 15I, 15M Crimes Act 1958 (Vic), s 321 Criminal Appeal Act 1912, s 5F Criminal Appeal Rules, r 4 Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), ss 11.2, 11.5, 13.3 Customs Act 1901 (Cth), ss 203A, 203C, 204, 205, 205C, 205G, 207, 229, 233B, 235, Sch VI Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 (Cth) Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985, ss 3, 10, 25, 29, 33, Evidence Act 1995, ss 103, 128, 137, 138, 142, 174, 175, 191 Law Enforcement (Controlled Operations) Act 1997, ss 6, 7 Law Enforcement (Controlled Operations) Regulation 1998, Sch 1 Traffic Act 1949 (Qld) Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Cases Cited: Blackley v Devondale Cream (Vic) Pty Ltd (1968) 117 CLR 253 BP Exploration Co (Libya) Ltd v Hunt [1980] 1 NSWLR 496 Bunning v Cross (1977) 141 CLR 54 Damberg v Damberg (2001) 52 NSWLR 492 Dickson v The Queen [2010] HCA 30; (2010) 241 CLR 491 Director of Public Prosecutions v Marijancevic [2011] VSCA 355; (2011) 33 VR 440 Director of Public Prosecutions v MD [2010] VSCA 233; (2010) 29 VR 434 Dowe v Commissioner of the New South Wales Crime Commission [2006] NSWSC 1312; (2006) 206 FLR 1 Dowe v Commissioner of New South Wales Crime Commission [2007] NSWCCA 296; (2007) 177 A Crim R 44 Dowe v The Queen [2009] NSWCCA 23; (2009) 193 A Crim R 220 Dwyer v Calco Timbers Pty Ltd [2008] HCA 13; (2008) 234 CLR 124 Em v The Queen [2007] HCA 46; (2007) 232 CLR 67 Fleming v The Queen [2009] NSWCCA 233; (2009) 197 A Crim R 282 Gedeon v Commissioner of the New South Wales Crime Commission [2008] HCA 43; (2008) 236 CLR 120 Green v The Queen [2011] HCA 49; (2011) 244 CLR 462 Hamilton v Oades [1989] HCA 21; (1989) 166 CLR 486 He Kaw Teh v The Queen (1984) 157 CLR 523 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Jago v District Court of New South Wales [1989] HCA 46; (1989) 168 CLR 23 Jimmy v The Queen [2010] NSWCCA 60; (2010) 77 NSWLR 540 JOD v R [2009] NSWCCA 205 Lee v New South Wales Crime Commission [2013] HCA 39 Marriage of Atkinson (1997) 136 FLR 347 McWaters v Day (1989) 168 CLR 289 Momcilovic v The Queen [2011] HCA 34; (2011) 245 CLR 1 Neilson v Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria Ltd [2005] HCA 54; (2005) 223 CLR 331 Norbis v Norbis [1986] HCA 17; (1986) 161 CLR 513 at 518-519 Nudd v The Queen [2006] HCA 9; (2006) 80 ALJR 614 Parker v Comptroller-General of Customs [2009] HCA 7; (2009) 83 ALJR 494 Pham v The Queen [2009] NSWCCA 25; (2009); 193 A Crim R 190 Pollard v The Queen (1992) 176 CLR 177 R v Alexandroaia (1945) 81 A Crim R 286 R v Camilleri [2007] NSWCCA 36; (2007) 68 NSWLR 720 R v Campbell [2008] NSWCCA 214; (2008) 73 NSWLR 272 R v Campbell [1999] 1 SCR 565 R v Carey (1990) 20 NSWLR 292 R v Chow (1987) 11 NSWLR 561 R v Collisson [2003] NSWCCA 212; (2003) 139 A Crim R 389 R v Daher [1981] 2 NSWLR 669 R v Dalley [2002] NSWCCA 284; (2002) 132 A Crim R 169 R v Formosa [2005] NSWCCA 363 R v Gedeon [2009] NSWCCA 278 R v Helmhout [2001] NSWCCA 372; (2001) 125 A Crim R 257 R v Ireland (1970) 126 CLR 321 R v Ladocki [2004] NSWCCA 336 R v Latif and Shahzad [1996] 1 All ER 353; (1996) 1 WLR 104 R v Lodhi [2006] NSWSC 638; (2006) 199 FLR 328 R v MAK [2005] NSWCCA 98 R v MM [2004] NSWCCA 364 R v Mullen [2000] QB 520 R v R2 (1990) 19 NSWLR 513 R v Robinson [1999] NSWCCA 186 R v Salem (1997) 96 A Crim R 421 R v Standen [2011] NSWSC 1422 R v Stevens (1991) 23 NSWLR 75 Ridgeway v The Queen [1995] HCA 66; (1995) 184 CLR 19 Riley v R [2011] NSWCCA 238 Robinson v Woolworths Ltd [2005] NSWCCA 426; (2005) 64 NSWLR 612 Ross v Internet Wines Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 195; (2004) 60 NSWLR 436 State of Victoria v The Commonwealth (The Kakariki) (1937) 58 CLR 618 Telstra Corporation Ltd v Worthing [1999] HCA 12; (1999) 197 CLR 61 The Parchim (1918) AC 157 United States v Bogart 783 F 2d 1428 (1986) United States v Buishas 791 F 2d 1310 (1986) United States v Santana (1993) 6 F 3d 1 (1993) United States v Valona 834 F 2d 1334 (1987) Ward v The Queen [2007] NSWCCA 22; (2007) 168 A Crim R 545 X7 v Australian Crime Commission [2013] HCA 29; (2013) 87 ALJR 858 Texts Cited: Dicey, Morris and Collins on the Conflict of Laws, 15th ed (2012) Nygh's Conflict of Laws in Australia, 8th ed (2010) S Odgers, Uniform Evidence Law, 10th ed (2012) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Gilbert Gedeon (Appellant) Crown (Respondent) Attorney General of NSW (Intervening) Representation: Counsel: P Hamill SC and P D Lange (Appellant) D G Staehli SC and H Baker (Respondent) M G Sexton SC and G Wright on behalf of the Attorney General Solicitors: Michael Doughty (Appellant) Solicitor for Public Prosecutions (Respondent) File Number(s): 2006/13683 Publication restriction: No Decision under appeal Jurisdiction: 9101 Before: Tupman DCJ File Number(s): 2006/11/0335 2006/13683