R v Spicer [2015] NSWSC 519

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Spicer [2015] NSWSC 519 Hearing dates: 17 April 2015 Date of orders: 15 May 2015 Decision date: 15 May 2015 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: Harrison J Decision: Sentence Bernard Justin Spicer to a term of imprisonment of 32 years commencing on 21 December 2011 and expiring on 20 December 2043, with a non-parole period of 24 years expiring on 20 December 2035. Catchwords: CRIMINAL - sentence - murder - joint criminal enterprise - verdict of guilty following trial - plea of guilty to alternative count of break, enter and commit indictable offence rejected - offender not person of prior good character - whether offender likely to re-offend - no remorse shown by offender - crime perpetrated in home of deceased and result of considerable planning - whether crime in worst category of case - whether offender manipulated or influenced by co-offender - whether offender intended to kill deceased - whether sentence should take account of the need for general deterrence Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Cases Cited: Isaacs v R (1997) 41 NSWLR 374; (1997) 90 A Crim R 587 Markarian v R [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Muldrock v R [2011] HCA 39; (2011) 244 CLR 120 R v Johnson [2004] NSWCCA 76 R v Kristi Anne Abrahams [2013] NSWSC 952 R v Patsalis [2001] NSWCCA 476 R v Pilley (1991) 56 A Crim R 202 R v Shankley [2003] NSWCCA 253 R v Spathis [2001] NSWCCA 476 Category: Sentence Parties: Regina (Crown) Bernard Justin Spicer (Accused) Representation: Counsel: C Maxwell QC (Crown) N Steel (Accused)