Lachlan Wilson v R [2014] NSWCCA 266

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Lachlan Wilson v R [2014] NSWCCA 266 Hearing dates: 10 and 11 April 2014 Decision date: 28 November 2014 Before: Bathurst CJ; Fullerton J; Davies J Decision: 1.Appeal against conviction dismissed. 2.Grant leave to appeal against sentence. 3.Appeal against sentence dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL - appeal - conviction - whether verdict unreasonable - appellant acquitted of importation of border controlled precursor - appellant convicted of supply of prohibited drug - drug in both offences the same - mental element of both offences formed in same period - acquittal of importation offence on reasonable doubt as to mental element - whether failure to convict on importation offence rendered conviction on supply offence unreasonable - consideration of jury questions

CRIMINAL - appeal - conviction - whether the elements for offence of supplying prohibited drug were contained in offence of importing border controlled precursor where precursor and prohibited drug the same

CRIMINAL - appeal - sentence - De Simoni principle - whether judge impermissibly considered conduct relating to drug importation offence when sentencing for supply offence - practical necessity requires references to context in which offending occurred and surrounding circumstances

CRIMINAL - appeal - sentence - whether manifestly excessive - whether any error in assessment of criminal culpability and appointment of appellant's role in drug syndicate

CRIMINAL - appeal - sentence - parity - whether discrepancy between sentences of co-offenders is disproportionate to relevant distinctions in roles played and subjective circumstances of co-offenders - whether disparity is gross, marked or glaring - position of trial judge Legislation Cited: Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), ss 3.1, 3.2, 307.11 and 307.14 Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW), s 3, 24A, 25, 33 and Sch 1 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 6 Cases Cited: BCM v The Queen [2013] HCA 48; (2013) 88 ALJR 101 Black v The Queen [1993] HCA 71; (1993) 179 CLR 44 Cheung v The Queen [2001] HCA 67; (2001) 209 CLR 1 Crystal Lee England v R [2009] NSWCCA 274 Dinsdale v The Queen [2000] HCA 54; (2000) 202 CLR 321 Dungay v R; R v Dungay [2010] NSWCCA 82 ES v R [2014] NSWCCA 268 Gill v R [2010] NSWCCA 236 Green v The Queen; Quinn v The Queen [2011] HCA 49; (2011) 244 CLR 462 Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen [2010] HCA 45; (2010) 242 CLR 520 Ibrahim Jidah v R [2014] NSWCCA 269 Libke v The Queen [2007] HCA 30; (2007) 230 CLR 559 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; (1994) 181 CLR 487 MacKenzie v The Queen [1996] HCA 35; (1996) 190 CLR 348 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 MFA v The Queen [2002] HCA 53; (2002) 213 CLR 606 Muldrock v The Queen [2011] HCA 39; (2011) 244 CLR 120 R v Campbell [2008] NSWCCA 214; (2008) 73 NSWLR 272 R v TK [2009] NSWCCA 151; (2009) 74 NSWLR 299 SKA v The Queen [2011] HCA 13; (2011) 243 CLR 400 Standen v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth)[2011] NSWCCA 187; (2011) 218 A Crim R 28 Still v R [2010] NSWCCA 131 The Queen v De Simoni [1981] HCA 31; (1981) 147 CLR 383 The Queen v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 Yousef Jidah v R [2014] NSWCCA 270 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Lachlan Wilson (Appellant) Crown (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M Thangaraj SC (Appellant) I D Bourke / M England (Crown) Solicitors: Macedone Legal (Appellant) Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (Crown) File Number(s): 2009/198056 Decision under appeal Before: Frearson SC DCJ File Number(s): 2009/198056