DJW v R [2015] NSWCCA 164

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: DJW v R [2015] NSWCCA 164 Hearing dates: 21 April 2015 Decision date: 21 April 2015 Before: Simpson J at [1]; R A Hulme J at [2]; Bellew J at [65] Decision: 1. Leave to appeal granted. 2. Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – evidence – tendency evidence – where applicant indicted on multiple counts of sexual assault involving six complainants – whether error in failing to order separate trials in respect of all complainants – where primary judge found no real chance or possibility of concoction or contamination in relation to four complainants – approach to assessing probative value in s 97 Evidence Act – competing inferences may be relevant to assessment of probative value – finding of primary judge open – no error

CRIMINAL LAW – evidence – tendency evidence – where applicant indicted on multiple counts of sexual assault involving six complainants – whether error in failing to order separate trials in respect of all complainants – whether evidence of one particular complainant is too dissimilar to the evidence of the other complainants to have significant probative value – not necessary that allegations exhibit close similarity - differences in age of complainants not significant –– no error in approach of primary judge

CRIMINAL LAW – evidence – tendency evidence – where applicant indicted on multiple counts of sexual assault involving six complainants – whether error in failing to order separate trials in respect of all complainants – whether error in assessment of prejudicial effect of the evidence – no specific prejudice identified – no deviant behaviour – jury directions appropriate to deal with any prejudice – no error in approach of primary judge Legislation Cited: Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) s 5F(3) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) ss 97, 98, 101, 137 Cases Cited: BJS v R [2011] NSWCCA 239 BP v R; R v BP [2010] NSWCCA 303 DAO v R [2011] NSWCCA 63; 81 NSWLR 568 DSJ v R; NS v R [2012] NSWCCA 9; 84 NSWLR 158 JG v R [2014] NSWCCA 138 Jones v R [2014] NSWCCA 280 PWD v R [2010] NSWCCA 209; 205 A Crim R 75 R v Burton [2013] NSWCCA 335; 237 A Crim R 238 R v Cittadini [2008] NSWCCA 256; 189 A Crim R 492 R v Fletcher [2005] NSWCCA 338; 156 A Crim R 308 R v Ford [2009] NSWCCA 306; 201 A Crim R 451 R v RN [2005] NSWCCA 413 R v Shamouil [2006] NSWCCA 112; 66 NSWLR 228 R v SK; SK v R [2011] NSWCCA 292 R v Smith [2008] NSWCCA 247; 190 A Crim R 8 R v XY [2013] NSWCCA 121; 84 NSWLR 363 Saoud v R [2014] NSWCCA 136; 87 NSWLR 481 Sokolowskyj v R [2014] NSWCCA 55 Category: Principal judgment Parties: DJW (Applicant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Ms A Moen (Applicant) Ms N Williams (Crown)