Nguyen v R [2015] NSWCCA 78

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Nguyen v R [2015] NSWCCA 78 Hearing dates: 8 April 2015 Decision date: 29 April 2015 Before: Beazley P; RA Hulme J; Adamson J Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal. (2) Allow the appeal. (3) Quash the appellant's conviction and enter a verdict of acquittal. (4) Order that the appellant be released forthwith. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW), s 25(2) – appeal against conviction

CRIMINAL LAW – effect of failure to direct the jury as to an essential element of the offence – whether proviso to s 6(1) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) should be applied – whether appellate court should enter alternative verdict pursuant to s 7(2) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1912

CRIMINAL LAW – whether verdict was unreasonable or could not be supported having regard to the evidence

EVIDENCE – probative value of lies of the accused Legislation Cited: Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) Criminal Appeal Rules (NSW) Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW) Cases Cited: Baiada Poultry Pty Ltd v The Queen [2012] HCA 14; 246 CLR 92 Doggett v The Queen [2001] HCA 46; 208 CLR 343 Eade v The King (1924) 34 CLR 154 Edwards v R [1993] HCA 63; 178 CLR 193 Ka Chung Fung v R [2007] NSWCCA 250; 174 A Crim R 169 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; 181 CLR 487 Mehajer v R [2014] NSWCCA 167 MFA v R [2002] HCA 53; 213 CLR 606 Peacock v R [1911] HCA 66; 13 CLR 619 Pemble v R [1971] HCA 20; 124 CLR 107 R v Gulliford [2004] NSWCCA 338; 148 A Crim R 558 R v Heyde (1990) 20 NSWLR 234 R v Lau (1998) 105 A Crim R 167 R v Micalizzi [2004] NSWCCA 406 R v Moussa [2001] NSWCCA 427; 125 A Crim R 505 SKA v The Queen [2011] HCA 13; 243 CLR 400 Zoneff v The Queen [2000] HCA 28; 200 CLR 234 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Thuy Le Nguyen (Appellant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: T Gartelmann (Appellant) H Roberts (Respondent)