Harafias v R [2016] NSWCCA 268

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Harafias v R [2016] NSWCCA 268 Hearing dates: 14 November 2016 Date of orders: 01 December 2016 Decision date: 01 December 2016 Before: Meagher JA at [1]; Rothman J at [40]; Button J at [41] Decision: 1. Grant leave to appeal. 2. Appeal against conviction allowed. 3. Quash the appellant's conviction of the offence charged in the indictment dated 29 June 2015. 4. Order that there be a new trial. Catchwords: CRIMINAL – conviction appeal – grievous bodily harm with intent – where appellant bit off victim's nose – where self-defence raised – where error in trial judge's summing up because of reference to requirement at common law that there be "reasonable grounds" for belief as to necessity of conduct in self-defence – whether proviso applies – whether Court satisfied that not open to a jury to have reasonable doubt as to whether appellant acted in self-defence Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 33(1)(b), 33(3), 35, 418, 419 Crimes Amendment (Self-defence) Act 2001 (NSW) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), ss 5(1)(a), 6 Criminal Appeal Rules (NSW), r 4 Cases Cited: Abdallah v R [2016] NSWCCA 34 Baiada Poultry Pty Ltd v The Queen (2012) 246 CLR 92; [2012] HCA 14 Baini v The Queen (2012) 246 CLR 469; [2012] HCA 59 H v R [2016] NSWCCA 63 Filippou v The Queen (2015) 256 CLR 47; [2015] HCA 59 Justins v The Queen (2010) 79 NSWLR 544; [2010] NSWCCA 242 Krakouer v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 202; [1998] HCA 43 Lindsay v The Queen (2015) 255 CLR 272; [2015] HCA 16 Mraz v The Queen (1955) 93 CLR 493 Pollock v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 233; [2010] HCA 35 R v Hawes (1994) 35 NSWLR 294 R v Katarzynski [2002] NSWSC 613 R v Oblach (2005) 65 NSWLR 75 Weiss v The Queen (2005) 224 CLR 300; [2005] HCA 81 Zecevic v Director of Public Prosecutions (Victoria) (1987) 162 CLR 645 Texts Cited: Crimes Amendment (Self-defence) Bill (New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates, (Hansard), 28 November 2001 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Nicholas Harafias (Appellant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: L Fernandez (Appellant) E Balodis (Crown)