Sokolowskyj v Regina [2014] NSWCCA 55

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Sokolowskyj v Regina [2014] NSWCCA 55 Hearing dates: 01/04/2014 Decision date: 15 April 2014 Before: Hoeben CJ at CL at [1] Adams J at [63] Hall J at [64] Decision: (1) The appeal is allowed. (2) The appellant's conviction on 3 August 2012 is quashed. (3) There should be a new trial. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - conviction appeal - assault with an act of indecency upon a person under the age of 10 - whether tendency evidence properly admitted at trial - evidence relevant and capable of proving a tendency - the tendency specified was at a high level of generality - purpose of evidence to rebut likely challenge to Crown case - tendency evidence lacked "significant probative value" - probative value of tendency evidence did not substantially outweigh its prejudicial effect - tendency evidence should have been rejected - conviction quashed. Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 - s61M(2) Evidence Act 1995 - s55, s97(1)(b), s101(2), s137 Cases Cited: DAO v R [2011] NSWCCA 63 DJV v R [2008] NSWCCA 272; 200 A Crim R 206 FB v Regina; Regina v FB [2011] NSWCCA 217 House v The King [1936] HCA 40; 55 CLR 499 Patel v The Queen [2012] HCA 29; 247 CLR 531 Pfennig v R [1995] HCA 7; 182 CLR 461 Qualtieri v The Queen [2006] NSWCCA 95; 171 A Crim R 463` R v Fletcher [2005] NSWCCA 338 R v Ford [2009] NSWCCA 306 R v GAC [2007] NSWCCA 315; 178 A Crim R 408 R v Watkins [2005] NSWCCA 164; 153 A Crim R 434 Regina v Linard Shamouil [2006] NSWCCA 112; 66 NSWLR 228 Townsend v Townsend [2001] NSWCA 136 Warren v Coombs [1979] HCA 9; 142 CLR 531 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Paul Lawrence Sokolowskj - Appellant Regina - Respondent Crown Representation: Counsel: Mr J Trevallion - Appellant Ms S Herbert - Respondent Crown Solicitors: SE O'Connor, Legal Aid NSW - Appellant S Kavanagh, Solicitor for Public Prosecutions - Respondent Crown File Number(s): 2011/078513 Decision under appeal Jurisdiction: 9101 Date of Decision: 2012-11-09 00:00:00 Before: Ellis DCJ File Number(s): 2011/078513