R v Toohey (No 1) [2017] NSWSC 846

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Toohey (No 1) [2017] NSWSC 846 Hearing dates: 21 June 2017 Date of orders: 21 June 2017 Decision date: 21 June 2017 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Fagan J Decision: Refuse application by the Crown to adduce tendency evidence. Grant application by the accused to sever the indictment. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – evidence – admissibility of tendency evidence – accused indicted on charges of murder and sexual intercourse with a child under 10 – alleged tendency of accused to be aggressive towards and to assault children – whether tendency evidence of significant probative value for either charge – where tendency expressed and provable only at a high level of generality – consideration of R v Hughes [2017] HCA 20

CRIMINAL LAW – severance of counts on indictment – whether counts should be tried separately pursuant to Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), ss 21(2), 29(3) – whether evidence cross-admissible Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: Billings v R [2012] NSWCCA 33 De Jesus v The Queen [1996] HCA 65 DSJ v R; NS v R (2012) 84 NSWLR 758; [2012] NSWCCA 9 Hughes v The Queen [2017] HCA 20 KRM v The Queen (2001) 206 CLR 221; [2001] HCA 11 R v El-Hayek [2004] NSWCCA 25 R v Lockyer (1996) 89 A Crim R 457 R v Verma (1987) 50 A Crim R 441 Sokolowskyj v Regina [2014] NSWCCA 55; 239 A Crim R 55 Sutton v The Queen (1984) 152 CLR 528; [1984] HCA 5 Velkoski v The Queen (2014) 45 VR 680; [2014] VSCA 121 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Regina (Crown) Brendon Toohey (accused) Representation: Counsel: Mr Trevor Bailey (Crown) Mr James Trevallion (accused)