ARMSTRONG v REGINA [2015] NSWCCA 273

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: ARMSTRONG v REGINA [2015] NSWCCA 273 Hearing dates: 20 August 2015 Date of orders: 28 October 2015 Decision date: 28 October 2015 Before: Bathurst CJ at [1]; Price J at [62]; Beech-Jones J at [66] Decision: 1 Grant the applicant leave to appeal. 2 Allow the appeal. 3 Set aside the sentence imposed on the applicant and, in lieu thereof, make the following orders: (a) The applicant be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 12 years and 3 months, commencing on 20 March 2012, with a non-parole period of 9 years and 2 months. (b) The earliest date on which the applicant will be eligible for parole is 19 May 2021. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – appeal - sentencing – considerations - ceiling principle – whether sentencing judge erred in failing to take into account a relevant consideration, namely, the sentences imposed on the applicant in earlier trials Cases Cited: Armstrong v R [2013] NSWCCA 137 Mill v The Queen [1988] HCA 70; 166 CLR 59 Kentwell v The Queen [2014] HCA 37; 252 CLR 601 Paul Darcey Armstrong [2013] NSWCCA 137 Pearce v The Queen [1998] HCA 57; 194 CLR 610 Postiglione v The Queen [1997] HCA 26; 189 CLR 295 R H McL v The Queen [2000] HCA 46; 203 CLR 452 R v Armstrong [2010] NSWSC 800 R v Bedford (1985) 5 NSWLR 711 R v Gilmore (1979) 1 A Crim R 416 R v Mitchell [2002] NSWCCA 380 R v MM [2002] NSWCCA 431; 135 A Crim R 216 Tarrant v R [2007] NSWCCA 124; 171 A Crim R 425 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Paul Darcey Armstrong (Applicant) Crown (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: B Rigg (Applicant) T Smith (Respondent)