R v Qaumi & Ors (No 45) [2016] NSWSC 937

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Qaumi & Ors (No 45) [2016] NSWSC 937 Hearing dates: 29-30 June 2016 Date of orders: 30 June 2016 Decision date: 30 June 2016 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: Hamill J Decision: Application for separate trial is refused. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – application to separate one of five co-accused – where application made in thirteenth week of trial – retrospective and prospective evaluation of fairness of the proceedings – where co-accused asserts duress – where co-accused relying on evidence of violence and threats of violence by three accused – evidence admissible in Crown case – analogy to cut-throat defence – whether order of cross-examination creates unfairness – threat to withdraw instructions of lawyers – not a relevant consideration – genuine belief in three accused that process unfair – no unfairness when viewed objectively – remedies for forensic disadvantage – whether cross-examination undermining effectiveness of attacks on credibility – resurrecting Lazarus – neutral position of fifth co-accused – "when elephants fight ants stay out of the way" – application refused Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: Madubuko v R [2011] NSWCCA 135 R v CE [2005] NSWCCA 326 R v Farrell & Cotton (1990) 48 A Crim R 311 R v Ignjatic(1993) 68 A Crim R 333 R v Pham [2004] NSWCCA 190 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 3) (Severance and Separate Trials) [2016] NSWSC 15 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 6) [2016] NSWSC 115 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 24) NSWSC 505 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 32) [2016] NSWSC 675 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 33) [2016] NSWSC 676 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 39) [2016] NSWSC 797 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 43) [2016] NSWSC 889 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 44) [2016] NSWSC 936 R v Singh (Supreme Court (NSW), Fullerton J, 10 November 2011, unrep) Webb & Hay v The Queen [1994] HCA 30; 181 CLR 41 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)