R v Cunningham [2017] NSWSC 1176

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Cunningham [2017] NSWSC 1176 Hearing dates: 28/8/17 to 31/8/17 Date of orders: 05 September 2017 Decision date: 05 September 2017 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Beech-Jones J Decision: Accused not guilty by reason of mental illness Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – murder – judge alone trial – killing of elderly woman – accused raises defence of mental illness – accused affected by schizoaffective disorder – both psychiatrists agree that accused did not know her actions were morally wrong according to the ordinary standards of right and wrong – significant body of independent material pointing to accused being mentally ill in the period prior to and after offence – whether psychiatrists' opinions should be rejected because of dependence upon unreliable version of offence given by accused – whether accused's actions in covering up offence negates mental illness defence – psychiatrists' opinions accepted – defence of mental illness upheld. Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 18(1)(a), s 23A(3), s 428C Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), s 132(2) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 141(2) Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW) Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990 (NSW), s 38 Cases Cited: Barca v The Queen [1975] HCA 42; 133 CLR 82 Briginshaw v Briginshaw [1938] HCA 34; 60 CLR 336 Edwards v R [1993] HCA 63; 178 CLR 193 Goodridge v R [2014] NSWCCA 37 Hawkins v The Queen [1994] HCA 28; 179 CLR 500 McNaghten's Case (1843) Cl and F 200; 8 ER 718 Moukhayber v Camden Timber & Hardware Co Pty Ltd [2002] NSWCA 58 R v Fang (No 3) [2017] NSWSC 159 R v Lane [2011] NSWCCA 157; 221 A Crim R 309 R v Minani [2005] NSWCCA 226; 63 NSWLR 490 R v Papley [2017] NSWSC 1068 R v Quinn (No 2) [2016] NSWSC 1244 Stapleton v The Queen [1952] HCA 56; 86 CLR 358 Strong v Woolworths Ltd [2012] HCA 5; 246 CLR 182 The King v Porter [1933] HCA 1; 55 CLR 182 Wilson v The Queen (1992) 174 CLR 313 Zoneff v R [2000] HCA 28; 200 CLR 234 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Regina (Crown) Marita Therese Cunningham (Accused) Representation: Counsel: C Patrick SC (Crown) B Rigg SC (Accused)