R v Towney [2015] NSWSC 2004

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Towney [2015] NSWSC 2004 Hearing dates: 18 December 2015 Date of orders: 18 December 2015 Decision date: 18 December 2015 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: Fagan J Decision: 1. The accused's notice of motion filed in Court by leave on 18 December 2015 is dismissed.

2. The retrial of Trent Towney is to proceed before Fagan J at Orange commencing 1 February 2016. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – Application for trial judge to recuse himself – same judge allocated retrial – apprehension of bias – prejudgment – whether fair-minded lay observer might reasonably apprehend bias – trial by jury – summing-up – comment on facts – judicial balance Legislation Cited: Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) Cases Cited: B v The Queen [1992] HCA 68, (1992) 175 CLR 599 Bainton v Rajski (1992) 29 NSWLR 539 Bakarich v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2010] NSWCA 43 Balic (No 2) (1994) 75 A Crim R 515 Ebner v The Official Trustee in Bankruptcy [2000] HCA 63; (2000) 205 CLR 337 Johnson v Johnson [2000] HCA 48; (2000) 201 CLR 488 R v Courtney-Smith (No. 2) (1990) 48 A Crim R 49 R v El-Zeyat [2012] NSWSC 340 R v Kearns [2003] NSWCCA 367 R v Malone (Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW), 20 April 1994, unrep) R v Meher [2004] NSWCCA 355 Webb v The Queen [1994] HCA 30; (1994) 181 CLR 41 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Trent Towney (Applicant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Ian Nash (Applicant) Peter McGrath SC (Respondent)