SafeWork NSW v Hydro Clean (Griffith) Pty Ltd [2017] NSWDC 264

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: SafeWork NSW v Hydro Clean (Griffith) Pty Ltd [2017] NSWDC 264 Hearing dates: 18 September 2017 Date of orders: 22 September 2017 Decision date: 22 September 2017 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Judge D. Russell Decision: 1 The offender is convicted. 2 Order the offender to pay a fine of $120,000. 3 Order that 50% of the fine is to be paid to the prosecutor. 4 Order the offender to pay the prosecutor's costs agreed at $32,500. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – prosecution – work health and safety – duty of persons undertaking business – risk of death or serious injury

SENTENCE – objective seriousness – mitigating factors – aggravating factors – plea of guilty – general deterrence – specific deterrence – appropriate penalty

SENTENCING PRINCIPLES – totality – remorse – contrition – appropriate penalty

COSTS – prosecution costs Legislation Cited: Work Health and Safety Act 2011; Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999; Fines Act 1996 Cases Cited: Veen v R (No. 2) (1998) 164 CLR; R v McNaughton (2006) 66 NSWLR 566; Baumer v R (1998) 166 CLR 51; BW v R [2011] NSWCCA 176; R v Wilkinson (No. 5) [2009] NSWSC 432; Capral Aluminium Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2000) 49 NSWLR 610; Bulga Underground Operations Pty Limited v Nash (2016) NSWCCA 37; R v Thomson & Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; R v Borkowski (2009) 195 A Crim R 1; Jahandideh v R [2014] NSWCCA 178; Nash v Silver City Drilling (NSW) Pty Limited; Attorney General for NSW v Silver City Drilling (NSW) Pty Limited [2017] NSWCCA 96; 93 NSWLR 338 Category: Sentence Parties: SafeWork NSW (Prosecutor) Hydro Clean (Griffith) Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr D. Nagle (Prosecutor) Ms C. Lee (Defendant)