Shane Kovacs v R [2016] NSWDC 19

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Shane Kovacs v R [2016] NSWDC 19 Hearing dates: 18 February 2016 Date of orders: 04 March 2016 Decision date: 04 March 2016 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Judge AC Scotting Decision: The appeal against severity is allowed. I set aside the sentences imposed by the Chief Magistrate. In lieu thereof I impose an aggregate sentence of 1 year and 8 months imprisonment with a non parole period of 10 months to date from 4 March 2016. I direct that the offender is to be released to parole on 3 January 2017. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – appeal from decision of magistrate – severity – sexual assault – child aged between 14 and 16 – indictable offences – Table 1 offences dealt with summarily SENTENCE – aggravating factors – mitigating factors – psychological condition – custodial sentence – concurrent sentence – accumulation – totality principle – finding of special circumstances Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 s 66C(3) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 ss 5, 21A(3)(e), 21A(3)(f), 21A(3)(g), 21A(2)(h), 21A(3)(i), 21A(2)(k), 22, 53A Crimes (appeal and Review) Act 2001 ss 11, 17, 20(2) Cases Cited: R v JVP NSWCCA unreported 6 November 1995 R v Sea NSWCCA unreported 13 August 1990 R v Attard [2004] NSWCCA 376 Fina'i v R [2006] NSWCCA 134 Parkes v R [2013] NSWCCA 247 R v BJW (2000) 112 A Crim R 1 R v Fisher (1989) 40 A Crim R 442 Muldrock v R (2011) 244 CLR 120 Palijan v R [2010] NSWCCA 142 R v Scognamiglio (1991) 56 A Crim R 81 R v Wright (1997) 93 A Crim R 48 R v Lawrence [2005] NSWCCA 91 R v Thompson & Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Borkowski (2009) 195 A Crim R 1 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Shane Kovacs (Appellant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Solicitors: Ms R Chalmers (Appellant) C Hyland Solicitor for Public Prosecutions (Respondent) File Number(s): 2015/00065410