R v Barakat (No 5) [2016] NSWSC 1313

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Barakat (No 5) [2016] NSWSC 1313 Hearing dates: 13-14 August 2016 Decision date: 16 August 2016 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: N Adams J Decision: The telephone intercept evidence with respect to the conversations between the accused and Eleena Bakhos on 16 October 2013 is excluded. Catchwords: EVIDENCE – whether telephone intercept evidence relevant – telephone conversations between the accused and his then girlfriend – where multiple competing inferences open the evidence – evidence relevant

EVIDENCE - application under s 137 of the Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) – whether probative value of telephone intercept evidence outweighed by danger of unfair prejudice – probative value of evidence weakened by existence of multiple available inferences – danger of unfair prejudice – evidence excluded Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 38, 55, 76, 137 Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW), s 14 Cases Cited: Basha v R (1989) 39 A Crim R 337 Colby v The Queen [1999] NSWCCA 261 DJS v R; NS v R [2012] NSWCCA 9 IMM v The Queen (2016) 330 ALR 382; [2016] HCA 14 Papakosmas v The Queen (1999) 196 CLR 297 R v Barakat; R v Younes (No 1) [2016] NSWSC 1152 R v Burton (2013) 237 A Crim R 238; [2013] NSWCCA 335 R v Hillier (2007) 228 CLR 618 R v Shamouil (2006) 6 NSWLR 228; [2006] NSWCCA 112 R v XY (2013) 84 NSWLR 363; [2013] NSWCCA 121 Shepherd v R (1990) 170 CLR 573 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Regina Mahmoud Barakat Representation: Counsel: P McGrath SC (Crown) D Dalton SC (Accused Barakat)