Abbas v R [2014] NSWCCA 188

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Abbas v R [2014] NSWCCA 188 Hearing dates: 15 September 2014 Decision date: 25 September 2014 Before: Hoeben CJ at CL at [1] Fullerton J at [2] Adamson J at [3] Decision: 1.Leave to appeal granted 2.Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - appeal - sentence for manslaughter, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of firearm - trial judge's assessment of the objective seriousness of manslaughter by unlawful and dangerous act not erroneous - applicant deliberately brandished a gun intending to threaten harm in close range of others - no error in sentencing judge's discretion to accumulate sentences - counts one and two involved different victims - sentence imposed by trial judge not manifestly excessive - wide variety of circumstances in which manslaughter can be committed makes identification of "comparables" particularly unhelpful Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 18, 59 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), s 44 Firearms Act 1996 (NSW), ss 7, 65 Cases Cited: Cahyadi v R [2007] NSWCCA 1; 168 A Crim R 41 Dinsdale v The Queen [2000] HCA 54; 202 CLR 321 Hili v The Queen [2010] HCA 45; 242 CLR 520 Lane v R [2013] NSWCCA 317 Muldrock v The Queen [2011] HCA 39; 244 CLR 120 Pearce v R [1998] HCA 57; 194 CLR 610 R v Cramp [1999] NSWCCA 324; 110 A Crim R 198 R v Dally [2000] NSWCCA 162; 115 A Crim R 582 R v Isaacs (1997) 41 NSWLR 374 R v Lavender [2005] HCA 37; 222 CLR 67 R v Wood [2014] NSWCCA 184 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Khaldoun Abbas (Applicant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D O'Neil (Applicant) N Adams SC (Respondent) Solicitors: Legal Aid NSW (Applicant) S Kavanagh, Solicitor for Public Prosecutions (Respondent) File Number(s): 2011/260561 Publication restriction: Nil Decision under appeal Citation: [2013] NSWSC 1379 Date of Decision: 2013-09-20 00:00:00 Before: Beech-Jones J File Number(s): 2011/260561