Environment Protection Authority v Complete Asbestos Removal Pty Ltd; Environment Protection Authority v Endacott [2016] NSWLEC 167

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Complete Asbestos Removal Pty Ltd; Environment Protection Authority v Endacott [2016] NSWLEC 167 Hearing dates: 15 December 2016 Date of orders: 16 December 2016 Decision date: 16 December 2016 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Preston CJ Decision: Orders as set out at [138] Catchwords: OFFENCES AND PENALTIES – sentence – knowingly supplying false or misleading information – false bonded asbestos clearance certificates – false waste disposal documents – false asbestos clearance report – objective seriousness of offences – environmental harm not caused – harm foreseeable – offenders had complete control over causes giving rise to the offences – offences not committed without regard for public safety – offences not part of planned or organised activity – financial gain by avoiding expenses – low, low to medium, or medium overall objective seriousness of offences – subjective circumstances of offenders – early pleas of guilty – no prior convictions – offenders of good character – offenders genuinely remorseful – offenders unlikely to re-offend – offenders co-operated with regulatory authority – offenders agreed to pay prosecutor's legal costs – general deterrence necessary – specific deterrence unnecessary – fines appropriate penalty – totality principle applied to account for accidental multiplicity of offenders – offenders convicted – offenders ordered to pay fines – offenders ordered to pay prosecutor's legal costs Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 ss 3A, 21A(1), 21A(2), 21A(3), 22(1)(a), 23 Fines Act 1996 s 6 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 ss 3(e), 191(1), 144AA(1), 144AA(2), 211(2), 241, Ch 7 Cases Cited: Bankstown City Council v Hanna (2014) 205 LGERA 39; [2014] NSWLEC 152 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Environment Protection Authority v Aargus Pty Ltd [2013] NSWLEC 19 Environment Protection Authority v Alcobell Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 123 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Hargraves (No 2) (2003) 124 LGERA 57; [2003] NSWLEC 15 Environment Protection Authority v Peters (2006) 153 LGERA 238; [2006] NSWLEC 612 Environment Protection Authority v Unomedical Pty Ltd (No 4) [2011] NSWLEC 131 Fahs v The Queen [2007] NSWCCA 26 Hewitt v The Queen (2007) 180 A Crim R 306; [2007] NSWCCA 353 Keir v Sutherland Shire Council [2004] NSWLEC 754 Knight v The Queen [2010] NSWCCA 51 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Mill v The Queen (1988) 166 CLR 59; [1988] HCA 70 NCR Australia Pty Ltd v Credit Connection Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 1118 Pearce v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 610; [1998] HCA 57 Plath v Rawson (2009) 170 LGERA 253; [2009] NSWLEC 178 R v Campbell [2014] NSWCCA 102 R v Delcaro (1989) 41 A Crim R 33 R v Morabito (1992) 62 A Crim R 82 R v Rahme (1989) 43 A Crim R 81 R v Reynolds [2004] NSWCCA 51 R v Thomson (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; [2000] NSWCCA 309 R v Wheeler [2000] NSWCCA 34 R v Yildiz (2006) 160 A Crim R 218; [2006] NSWCCA 97 Saddler v The Queen (2009) 194 A Crim R 452; [2009] NSWCCA 83 Tiger Nominees Pty Ltd v The State Pollution and Control Commission (1992) 25 NSWLR 715 Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465; [1988] HCA 14 Category: Sentence Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Complete Asbestos Removal Pty Ltd (Defendant in proceedings 2016/00149752) Peter Darcy Endacott (Defendant in proceedings 2016/00149803, 2016/00149832 and 2016/00149863) Representation: Counsel: Ms S Anderson (Solicitor) (Prosecutor) Mr J Johnson (Defendants)