R v Brooks (No.5) [2017] NSWSC 824

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Brooks (No.5) [2017] NSWSC 824 Hearing dates: 26 May 2017 Date of orders: 23 June 2017 Decision date: 23 June 2017 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Hamill J Decision: (1) Count 2 (wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm), sentenced to a non-parole period of 5 years commencing on 6 April 2015 and expiring on 5 April 2020 with a balance of term of 2½ years commencing on 6 April 2020 and expiring on 5 October 2022. (2) Count 1 (murder), sentenced to a non-parole period of 12½ years to commence on 6 April 2017 and to expire on 5 October 2029 with a balance of term of 7½ years commencing 6 October 2029 and expiring on 5 April 2037. (3) The offender is eligible for release to parole at the conclusion of the non-parole period. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – sentence – murder – single stab wound – wounding with intent – second victim stabbed in course of same incident – where jury rejected self-defence – whether offender intended to kill – devastating impact on victim's family – criminal law a blunt tool – sentence and remarks incapable of providing comfort to victims – young offender with no criminal history – no planning or premeditation – no intent to kill – good prospects of rehabilitation – competing purposes of punishment – deterrence important when offender carrying a knife – vindication of dignity of separate victims requiring some accumulation – where conduct of trial facilitates course of justice – consideration of sentences in other cases – need for consistency – need for individual justice – "if justice is not individual, it is nothing" Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Crimes (High Risk Offenders) Act 2006 (NSW) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Cases Cited: Beldon v R [2012] NSWCCA 194 Bugmy v The Queen (1990) 169 CLR 525; [1990] HCA 18 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v De La Rosa (2010) 79 NSWLR 1; [2010] NSWCCA 194 Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 KT v The Queen [2008] NSWCCA 51; (2008) 182 A Crim R 571 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 MB v R [2013] NSWCCA 254 Melbourne v The Queen (1999) 198 CLR 1; [1999] HCA 32 Muldrock v The Queen (2011) 244 CLR 120; [2011] HCA 39 Munda v State of Western Australia (2013) 249 CLR 600; [2013] HCA 38 R v AJC [2010] NSWCCA 168; (2010) 207 A Crim R 307 R v Anthony Jones [2012] NSWSC 1433 R v Boshevski [2011] VSC 303 R v Carr [2009] NSWSC 995 R v Dang [1999] NSWCCA 42 R v Do (No. 4) [2015] NSWSC 512 R v Douglas Edwin Barlow [2013] NSWSC 217 R v Halloun [2014] NSWSC 1705 R v Hearne [2001] NSWCCA 37 (2001) 124 A Crim R 451 R v Heffernan [2005] NSWSC 739 R v Hines (No 3) [2014] NSWSC 1273 R v James [2013] NSWSC 1560 R v Lattouf (CCA (NSW), 12 December 1996, unrep) R v Lee [2010] NSWSC 632 R v Morris [2017] NSWSC 637 R v Perkins [2016] NSWSC 1080 R v PO [2017] NSWSC 757 R v Previtera (1997) 94 A Crim R 76 R v Quinn (No 3) [2016] NSWSC 1699 R v Saleib [2005] NSWCCA 85 R v Scott (No 6) [2015] NSWSC 678 R v Sumpton (No. 4) [2015] NSWSC 684 R v TNV [2014] NSWSC 1510 R v Wilson [2005] NSWCCA 112 R v Wong [2010] NSWSC 171 Simic v R (1980) 144 CLR 319; [1980] HCA 25 Sumpton v R [2016] NSWCCA 162 The Queen v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 Versluys v R [2014] NSWCCA 98 Wilson v The Queen (1992) 174 CLR 313; [1992] HCA 31 Category: Sentence Parties: Regina Bradley Brooks Representation: Counsel: Huw Baker (Crown) Andrew Boe (B Brooks)