JP v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2015] NSWSC 1669

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: JP v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2015] NSWSC 1669 Hearing dates: 6 October 2015 Date of orders: 11 November 2015 Decision date: 11 November 2015 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Beech-Jones J Decision: (1) To the extent necessary the plaintiff be granted leave to raise grounds 6 and 8 in his summons filed 5 May 2015.

(2) The plaintiff's summons be otherwise dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – appeal under Part 5 of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 – plaintiff convicted in Children's Court of aggravated breaking and entering – prosecution case dependent on finding that plaintiff's fingerprint found at scene of break and enter – challenge to admissibility of fingerprint expert's conclusion that plaintiff's fingerprint found at scene – necessity for expert to set out the reasons for their conclusion – level of detail required – whether ground contending that expert certificate should not have been admitted involved a question of law alone – whether ground involved mixed question of fact and law – whether leave should be granted – expert certificate should have but did not reveal outcome of inspection of the fingerprints but no question of law alone arose – leave granted to raise ground involving mixed question of fact and law – ground failed – deficiencies in certificate rectified by expert's oral evidence – whether Magistrate's reasons for admitting certificate inadequate – whether Magistrate's reasons for convicting plaintiff inadequate – complaint not made out – whether Magistrate wrongly purported to apply different standard to admission of expert evidence in Children's Court compared to other courts – Magistrate did not apply that approach – whether Magistrate devolved decision making task to expert – complaint not made out – whether leave should be granted to challenge conviction – leave refused. Legislation Cited: - Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – s 105A, s 112(2) - Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW) – Part 3, Part 5, s 11, s 18, s 53, s 56 - Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW) – s 15A - Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) – s 4, s 76(1), s 79(1), s 135, s 137 Cases Cited: - AG v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2015] NSWCA 218 - ASIC v Rich & Ors [2005] NSWCA 152; 54 ACSR 326 - Bennett v Police [2005] SASC 167 - Bennett v Police [2005] SASC 415 - Bimson, Roads & Maritime Services v Damorange Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 734 - Campbelltown City Council v Vegan [2006] NSWCA 284; 67 NSWLR 372 - Dasreef Pty Ltd v Hawchar [2011] HCA 21; 243 CLR 588 - Evans v Powell [2012] NSWSC 1384 - Hannes v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (No 2) [2006] NSWCCA 373; 205 FLR 217 - HG v The Queen [1999] HCA 2; 197 CLR 414 - Honeysett v The Queen [2014] HCA 29; 253 CLR 122 - Kapral v Bunting [2009] NSWSC 749 - Landsman v R [2014] NSWCCA 328; 88 NSWLR 534 - Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305; 52 NSWLR 705 - Murdoch v The Queen [2007] NTCCA 1; 167 A Crim R 329 - Ocean Marine Mutual Insurance Association (Europe) OV v Jetopay Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 1463; 120 FCR 146 - R v Hien Puoc Tang [2006] NSWCCA 167; 65 NSWLR 681 - R v Lawless [1974] VR 398 - R v O'Callaghan [1976] VR 676 - R v PL [2009] NSWCCA 256; 261 ALR 365 - Shepherd v Nestoriadis [2015] NSWSC 348 - Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 - Williams v R [1986] HCA 88; 161 CLR 278 - Wise v Schneider [2015] NSWSC 725 Category: Principal judgment Parties: JP – Plaintiff Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) – Defendant Representation: Counsel: Ms B. Rigg SC, Ms F. Graham – Plaintiff Ms J.E. Davidson – Defendant