R v Qaumi & Ors (No 36) [2016] NSWSC 718

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Qaumi & Ors (No 36) [2016] NSWSC 718 Hearing dates: 1-2 June 2016, 6 June 2016 Date of orders: 06 June 2016 Decision date: 06 June 2016 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: Hamill J Decision: (1) Pursuant to s 53B(b) of the Jury Act 1977 (NSW), Juror 00393293 is discharged. (2) Pursuant to s 53C(1) of the Jury Act 1977 (NSW), the trial is to continue with a reduced number (14) jurors. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – application for discharge of individual juror – juror's acquaintance with important witness – whether reasonable apprehension of bias – where connection raised by the witness – no contact for six years – where juror knows witness by nickname – immediate recognition of photograph – appropriate legal test – where juror denies influence – whether influence may be sub-conscious – where accused oppose discharge – whether directions capable of curing sub-conscious influence – fact that juror would have been excused if matter emerged at beginning of trial not relevant – "It was a different time" CRIMINAL LAW – procedure on application to discharge individual juror – separating juror from remaining members of the jury – Sheriff's investigation – power to examine juror – when appropriate to examine juror – investigations during trial not exhaustive CRIMINAL LAW – discretion to continue trial when individual juror discharged – two stage process – questions not to be conflated – statutory test Legislation Cited: Jury Act 1977 (NSW) Cases Cited: BG v R [2012] NSWCCA 139 CUR24 v DPP [2012] NSWCA 65 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2000) 205 CLR 337 Johnson v Johnson (2000) 201 CLR 488 Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs v Jia (2001) 205 CLR 507 R v Bright [2000] NSWCCA 258 R v Finley [2016] NSWSC 327 R v Moore [2014] NSWSC 1955 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 10) [2015] NSWSC 21 R v Qaumi & Ors (No13) [2016] NSWSC 337 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 17) (Additional Jurors) [2016] NSWSC 338 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 21) [2016] NSWSC 402 R v Wood [2008] NSWSC 817 Sun Zhan Qui v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs [1997] FCA 1488; 81 FCR 71 Webb v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 41 Wu v The Queen [1999] HCA 52; 199 CLR 99 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Regina Farhad Qaumi Mumtaz Qaumi Jamil Qaumi Mohammed Zarshoy Mohammed Kalal Representation: Counsel: K McKay & P Hogan (Crown) J Stratton SC & M Curry (F Qaumi) P Young SC (M Quami) N Carroll(J Quami) R Driels (Zarshoy) G Clarke (Kalal)