El-Haddad v R [2015] NSWCCA 10

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: El-Haddad v R [2015] NSWCCA 10 Hearing dates: 1 December 2014 Decision date: 20 February 2015 Before: Leeming JA at [1]; McCallum J at [129]; R A Hulme J at [130] Decision: 1. Leave be refused in respect of ground 4.

2. The appeal be dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - importation of commercial and marketable quantities of border controlled drugs and precursors - indictment containing five charges - whether evidence relevant to counts 1, 2, 3 and 5 properly admitted as tendency or coincidence evidence with respect to count 4 - whether evidence significantly probative - relevance of dissimilarities - whether open to trial judge to deal with coincidence rule and tendency rule together

CRIMINAL LAW - importation of commercial and marketable quantities of border controlled drugs - meaning of "import" in s 300.2 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) - "import" defined to include "deal with the substance in connection with its importation" - commercial quantity of heroin imported in container and held by freight forwarders in Sydney - whether inquiries made by appellant as to fees payable in order to release goods sufficient to amount to dealing - whether inquiries together with assertions of ownership sufficient to amount to dealing Legislation Cited: Crimes Legislation Amendment (Serious and Organised Crime) Act (No 2) 2010 (Cth) Criminal Code 1995 (Cth), ss 11.1 300.2, 307, 314 Customs Act 1901 (Cth), s 233B Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 94, 95, 97, 98, 100, 101 Evidence Amendment Act 2007 (NSW) Cases Cited: 2 Elizabeth Bay Road Pty Ltd v The Owners - Strata Plan No 73943 [2014] NSWCA 409 Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd v Global Gaming Supplies Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 21; 87 ALJR 668 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Air New Zealand Ltd (No 1) [2012] FCA 1355; 207 FCR 448 Australian Securities Commission v Marlborough Gold Mines Ltd [1993] HCA 15; 177 CLR 485 B v The Queen [1992] HCA 68; 175 CLR 599 BCM v The Queen [2013] HCA 48; 88 ALJR 101 Calderwood v The Queen [2007] NSWCCA 180; 172 A Crim R 208 Certain Lloyd's Underwriters Subscribing to Contract No IH00AAQS v Cross [2012] HCA 56; 248 CLR 378 Clark v R [2014] NSWCCA 236 Cunneen v Independent Commission Against Corruption [2014] NSWCA 421 DAO v The Queen [2011] NSWCCA 63 DSJ v The Queen [2012] NSWCCA 9; 84 NSWLR 758 Environment Protection Authority v Schon G Condon as liquidator for Orchard Holdings (NSW) Pty Ltd (in liq) [2014] NSWCA 149 Gilham v R [2012] NSWCCA 131 Golossian v R [2013] NSWCCA 311 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 KJR v R [2007] NSWCCA 165; 173 A Crim R 226 Leff v R (1996) 86 A Crim R 212 Libke v The Queen [2007] HCA 30; 230 CLR 559 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; 181 CLR 487 R v AH (1997) 42 NSWLR 702 R v Campbell [2008] NSWCCA 214; 73 NSWLR 272 R v Gale; R v Duckworth [2012] NSWCCA 174; 217 A Crim R 487 R v MR [2013] NSWCCA 236 R v Nolan [2012] NSWCCA 126; 83 NSWLR 534 R v Tranter [2013] SASCFC 61; 116 SASR 452 R v Zhang [2005] NSWCCA 437; 158 A Crim R 504 Saoud v R [2014] NSWCCA 136 SKA v The Queen [2011] HCA 13; 243 CLR 400 Sokolowskyj v R [2014] NSWCCA 55 Velkoski v The Queen [2014] VSCA 121 Warren v Coombes [1979] HCA 9; 142 CLR 531 YZ Finance Co Pty Ltd v Cummings (1964) 109 CLR 395 Texts Cited: S Odgers, Uniform Evidence Law (11th ed, 2014) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ghabi El-Haddad (Appellant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D Dalton SC (Appellant) P McGuire (Crown)