Council of the City of Shoalhaven v Wilson [2015] NSWLEC 93

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Council of the City of Shoalhaven v Wilson [2015] NSWLEC 93 Hearing dates: 1 June 2015 Decision date: 05 June 2015 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pain J Decision: 1. The Defendant is convicted of the offence as charged. 2. The Defendant is fined $8,400 to be paid to the Registrar of the Court within 28 days of today's date. 3. The Defendant must pay the Prosecutor's costs as agreed or assessed. 4. The exhibits are to be returned. Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCES – sentence following plea of guilty – lopping or injuring of trees on Crown reserve without consent in breach of tree preservation order – offence committed deliberately – whether moral culpability of defendant reduced because of his mental health and intoxication – mitigating circumstances considered Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 ss 3A, 21A, 22 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 5, 76A, 125, 126 Fines Act 1996 ss 6, 10 Shoalhaven Local Environmental Plan 1985 cl 2 Cases Cited: Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 34; (2006) 145 LGERA 234 Cameron v Eurobodalla Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 47; (2006) 146 LGERA 349 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Director of Public Prosecutions v De La Rosa [2010] NSWCCA 194; (2010) 205 A Crim R 1 Environment Protection Authority v Hochtief AG [2006] NSWLEC 200 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 242; (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Gosford City Council v Tauszik [2005] NSWLEC 266 Harris v Harrison [2014] NSWCCA 84; (2014) 86 NSWLR 422 Hili v R; Jones v R [2010] HCA 45; (2010) 242 CLR 520 Makarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Manly Council v Lee [2011] NSWLEC 166 Manly Council v Taheri [2008] NSWLEC 314 Muldrock v The Queen [2011] HCA 39; 244 CLR 120 Pittwater Council v Scahill [2009] NSWLEC 12; (2009) 165 LGERA 289 R v Crombie [1999] NSWCCA 297 R v Doan [2000] NSWCCA 317; (2000) 50 NSWLR 115 R v Hemsley [2004] NSWCCA 228 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Thompson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 115 A Crim R 104 Veen v The Queen [1979] HCA 7; (1979) 143 CLR 458 Veen v The Queen (No 2) [1988] HCA 14; (1988) 164 CLR 465 Warringah Council v Bonanno [2012] NSWLEC 265 Texts Cited: Judicial Commission of NSW, Sentencing Bench Book (as at April 2015) Category: Sentence Parties: Council of the City of Shoalhaven (Prosecutor) Timothy John Wilson (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Ms A Pearman (Prosecutor) Ms E Nicholson (Defendant)