Randwick City Council v Kara-Ali [2015] NSWLEC 5

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Randwick City Council v Kara-Ali [2015] NSWLEC 5 Hearing dates: 12 – 16 August 2013, 19 – 20 September 2013, and 11 December 2013 Decision date: 03 February 2015 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Sheahan J Decision: The Council's summons is dismissed Catchwords: PROSECUTION: Alleged breach of tree preservation order – plea of not guilty – firm denials by defendant – circumstantial evidence – whether guilt was the only reasonable hypothesis on the facts. Legislation Cited: Criminal Procedure Act 1989 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 Evidence Act 1995 Local Government Act 1993 Randwick Development Control Plan 2013 Randwick Local Environmental Plan 1998 Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012 Cases Cited: Canada Bay City Council v Bird [2003] NSWLEC 9; 124 LGERA 303 Cooper Brooks (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (1981) 147 CLR 297 DPP v United Telecasters Sydney Ltd [1990] HCA 5; 168 CLR 594 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Mills v Meeking (1990) 169 CLR 214 Power v Pentill House Pty Ltd (1993) 80 LGERA 247 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; 194 CLR 355 Shepherd v R (1990) 170 CLR 573 Texts Cited: Inquiry into the Conviction of David Harold Eastman for the Murder of Colin Stanley Winchester – Report of The Board Of Inquiry (Justice Martin, 29 May 2014) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Randwick City Council (Prosecutor) Diaa Kara-Ali (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr T Howard, SC (Prosecutor) Mr D Brezniak, barrister (Defendant)