Abdallah v R [2016] NSWCCA 275

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Abdallah v R [2016] NSWCCA 275 Hearing dates: 17 August 2016 Date of orders: 02 December 2016 Decision date: 02 December 2016 Before: Hoeben CJ at CL at [1] Campbell J at [72] Button J at [87] Decision: (1) The appeal against conviction is upheld. (2) The conviction for manslaughter is quashed. (3) There should be a new trial on a count of manslaughter. Catchwords: CONVICTION APPEAL – manslaughter – altercation between two women leading to one stabbing the other – whether proper directions given as to manslaughter by excessive self-defence – whether if directions were erroneous a miscarriage of justice occurred – whether adequate directions given as to lies and consciousness of guilt – whether verdict unreasonable – conviction appeal allowed – Retrial limited to manslaughter ordered. Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) - ss 18(1)(a), 24, 418, 419, 421 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) – ss 10, 21A(2)(j) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) – ss 5, 6(1) Criminal Appeal Rules (NSW), r 4 Cases Cited: Baiada Poultry Pty Ltd v the Queen (2012) 246 CLR 92; [2012] HCA 14 Dinsdale v The Queen [2000] HCA 54; 202 CLR 321 Doggett v The Queen [2001] HCA 46; 208 CLR 343 Filippou v The Queen [2015] HCA 29; 256 CLR 47 Grant v R [2014] NSWCCA 67 Hadchiti v R [2016] NSWCCA 63 (decision restricted) Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen [2010] HCA 45; 242 CLR 520 House v R [1936] HCA 40; 55 CLR 499 Justins v The Queen [2010] NSWCCA 242; 79 NSWLR 544 Makarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; 228 CLR 357 Moore v R [2016] NSWCCA 185 Olbrich v R [1999] HCA 54; 199 CLR 270 Sio v The Queen [2016] HCA 32; 90 ALJR 963 Smith v R [2015] NSWCCA 193 Stanton v R [2003] HCA 29; 77 ALJR 1151 Vo v The Queen [2013] VSCA 225; 39 VR 543 Weiss v The Queen (2005) 224 CLR 300 Wong v The Queen [2001] HCA 64; 207 CLR 584 Yousif v R [2014] NSWCCA 180 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Katherine Abdallah – Applicant Regina – Respondent Crown Representation: Counsel: T Game SC/Ms A Francis – Applicant Ms S Dowling SC – Respondent Crown