Bankstown City Council v Hanna [2014] NSWLEC 152

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bankstown City Council v Hanna [2014] NSWLEC 152 Hearing dates: 23 July 2014 Decision date: 23 September 2014 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Preston CJ Decision: Orders as set out at [185] Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCES - unlawful transporting and depositing of waste on private land and public park - pollution of land - sentence - objective circumstances - offender's conduct offended against objects of statute and statutory provisions - substantial harm to environment and financial loss to victims - premeditated and intentional commission of offences - offences committed to save expense of paying tipping fees - reasonable foreseeability of harm - practical measures to prevent harm not taken - control over causes of offence - offences of medium objective gravity - subjective circumstances - significant record of prior convictions - early pleas of guilty - limited contrition and remorse - likelihood of re-offending - limited assistance to law enforcement authorities - sentence to implement purposes of sentencing of retribution, denunciation and individual and general deterrence - appropriate sentences - adjustment for totality principle - consideration of but no adjustment for financial means of offender - convicted of all four offences - fines totalling $225,000 imposed, costs ordered and publication order made Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 ss 3A, 21A(2)(3), 22, 23(2) and (3) Criminal Procedure Act 1986 ss 257B, 257G Fines Act 1966 s 6 Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991 ss 4, 6(2) Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 ss 3, 43, 45, 48, 49, 53, 55, 83, 142A, 142C, 143, 144(1), 144AB, 222, 227, 241(1), 250(1)(a), Sch 1 and Dictionary Protection of the Environment Operations (General) Amendment (Fees and Penalty Notices) Regulation 2014 Protection of the Environment Operations (General) Regulation 2009 cll 80(1), 81(6) and 82(a) and Sch 6 Protection of the Environment Operations (Waste) Regulation 2005 cll 3A, 42, 42(3) and (4) Cases Cited: Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Baumer v The Queen [1988] HCA 67; (1988) 166 CLR 51 Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 34; (2006) 145 LGERA 234 Camilleri's Stockfeeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae [2009] NSWLEC 137; (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Environment Protection Authority v Shannongrove Pty Ltd (No 2) [2012] NSWLEC 202; (2012) 198 LGERA 232 Environment Protection Authority v Ashmore [2014] NSWLEC 136 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Capdate Pty Ltd (1993) 78 LGERA 349 Environment Protection Authority v Hanna [2010] NSWLEC 98 Environment Protection Authority v Hanna [2013] NSWLEC 41; (2013) 195 LGERA 383 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corp [2006] NSWLEC 419; (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 242; (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Graham v The Queen [2009] NSWCCA 212 Hoare v The Queen [1989] HCA 33; (1989) 167 CLR 348 at 354 Inkson v The Queen (1996) 88 A Crim R 334 Kogarah City Council v Man Ho Wong [2013] NSWLEC 187 Kyluk Pty Ltd v Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage [2013] NSWCCA 114; (2013) 298 ALR 532 Lowe v The Queen [1984] HCA 46; (1984) 154 CLR 606 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Mill v The Queen [1988] HCA 70; (1988) 166 CLR 59 Morton v R [2014] NSWCCA 8 Muldrock v The Queen [2011] HCA 39; (2011) 244 CLR 120 Pearce v The Queen [1998] HCA 57; (1998) 194 CLR 610 Plath v Rawson [2009] NSWLEC 178; (2009) 170 LGERA 253 R v AB [2011] NSWCCA 229 R v Allpass (1993) 72 A Crim R 561 R v Borkowski [2009] NSWCCA 102; (2009) 195 A Crim R 1 R v Dodd (1991) 57 A Crim R 349 R v Geddes (1936) 36 SR (NSW) 554 R v McGourty [2002] NSWCCA 335 R v McNaughton [2006] NSWCCA 242; (2006) 163 A Crim R 381 R v Morgan [2013] EWCA Crim 1307 R v Nichols (1991) 57 A Crim R 391 R v Oliver (1980) 7 A Crim R 174 R v Rahme (1989) 43 A Crim R 81 R v Rushby [1977] 1 NSWLR 594 R v Scott [2005] NSWCCA 152 R v Sellafield Limited and R v Network Rail Infrastructure Limited [2014] EWCA Crim 49 R v Southern Water Services Ltd [2014] EWCA Crim 120 R v Stambolis [2006] NSWCCA 56; (2006) 160 A Crim R 510 R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Tuan Anh Tran [2011] NSWSC 1480 R v Wheeler [2000] NSWCCA 34 R v Whyte (2002) 55 NSWLR 252 R v Wisbey [2001] NSWCCA 434 R v Campbell [2014] NSWCCA 102 R v Cotterill [2012] NSWSC 89 Ryan v The Queen (2001) 206 CLR 267 SZ v The Queen [2007] NSWCCA 19; (2007) 168 A Crim R 249 The Hills Shire Council v Kinnarney Civil and Earthworks Pty Ltd and Kinnarney (No 2) [2012] NSWLEC 95 The Hills Shire Council v Suciu (No 3) [2009] NSWLEC 192 Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465 Williams v R [2012] NSWCCA 172 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Bankstown City Council (Applicant) Mr Dib Hanna Abdallah Hanna (Respondent) Representation: Mr M L Wright (Barrister) (Prosecutor) Mr S J Stanton (Barrister) (Defendant) Marsdens Law Group (Prosecutor) CK Lawyers (Defendant) File Number(s): 50875-50878 of 2013 Publication restriction: Nil