R v Dennis [2015] NSWCCA 297

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: R v Dennis [2015] NSWCCA 297 Hearing dates: 16 November 2015 Date of orders: 04 December 2015 Decision date: 04 December 2015 Before: Johnson J at [1] Beech-Jones J at [5] R.S. Hulme AJ at [63] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal be granted; and (2) The appeal be dismissed. Catchwords: SENTENCE APPEAL – applicant robbed passenger on a public train by cutting his throat – applicant on parole at time of offence – significant criminal record – sentence of eleven years with non-parole period of eight years and three months – offence of robbery while armed and inflict grievous bodily harm – standard non-parole period of seven years imprisonment – whether sentencing judge erred in assessment of objective seriousness – whether judge erred in using similarity with previous offence to determine whether offence was planned or premeditated – whether breach of procedural fairness by sentencing judge – whether sentence manifestly excessive – leave to appeal granted but appeal dismissed. Legislation Cited: - Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – s 98 - Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) – s 21A, s 54A - Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) – s 4(3) Cases Cited: - Barbaro v The Queen [2014] HCA 2; 253 CLR 58 - Button v R [2010] NSWCCA 264 - Dang v R [2014] NSWCCA 47 - Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen [2010] HCA 45; 242 CLR 520 - Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs; Ex parte Lam, Re [2003] HCA 6; 214 CLR 1 - Muldrock v The Queen [2011] HCA 39; 244 CLR 120 - Mulato v R [2006] NSWCCA 282 - R v Chisari [2006] NSWCCA 19 - R v Ibrahami [2005] NSWCCA 153 - R v JW [2010] NSWCCA 49; 77 NSWLR 7 - R v Pham [2015] HCA 39 - Tweedie v R [2015] NSWCCA 71 - Veen v R (No 2) [1988] HCA 14; 164 CLR 465 - Weir v R [2011] NSWCCA 123 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Shane Barry Dennis – Applicant Crown – Respondent Representation: Counsel: W. Hunt, J. Paingakulam – Applicant E. Balodis – Respondent