Grajewski v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2017] NSWCCA 251

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Grajewski v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2017] NSWCCA 251 Hearing dates: 11 October 2017 Decision date: 24 October 2017 Before: Leeming JA at [1]; Johnson J at [68]; Adamson J at [69] Decision: The questions submitted to this Court by Bright DCJ are answered as follows:

"Can these facts support a finding of guilt for an offence contrary to section 195(1)(a), Crimes Act, 1900?

Yes.

In particular, was the evidence capable of proving beyond reasonable doubt that Ship Loader 2 had been damaged by the conduct of Paul Olaf GRAJEWSKI?

Inappropriate to answer." Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – damage to property – Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) s 195 – protester suspended himself from coal loader – coal loader rendered inoperable for two hours until he was removed – protester convicted of intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging property – coal loader not itself damaged – meaning of "destroys or damages"

PROCEDURE – stated case – Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5B – limitations on powers of Court of Criminal Appeal Legislation Cited: Australian Courts Act 1828 (9 Geo IV c 83), s 24 Crimes (Amendment) Act (No 4) 1985 (ACT) Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW), ss 11, 52 Crimes (Criminal Damage) Act 1978 (Vic) Crimes (Criminal Destruction and Damage) Amendment Act 1987 (NSW) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) (as enacted), Ch II; ss 209, 210, 223, 224, 232, 247 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 4, 194, 195 Crimes Amendment Act 2007 (NSW), Sch 1, items 2, 21 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5B Criminal Code 1899 (Qld), s 469 Criminal Damage Act 1971 (UK), ss 1, 10 Criminal Law Amendment Act 1883 (NSW) Crown Cases Act 1848 (11 & 12 Vict c 78) Inclosed Lands, Crimes and Law Enforcement Legislation Amendment (Interference) Act 2016 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 33 Justices Act 1959 (Tas), s 113 Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, s 5 Malicious Damage Act 1861 (24 & 25 Vic c 97), s 15 Malicious Injuries to Property Act 1827 (7 & 8 Geo IV c 30) Police Offences Act 1935 (Tas), s 37 Police Offences Act 1953 (SA), s 43 Protection of Stocking Frames, etc. Act 1788 (28 Geo III c 55) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 101 Cases Cited: A ("a Juvenile") v The Queen [1978] Crim LR 689 Aubrey v The Queen [2017] HCA 18; 91 ALJR 601 Beckwith v The Queen (1976) 135 CLR 569 BP Australia Ltd v Bissaker (1987) 163 CLR 106 at 114; [1987] HCA 24 Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1981) 147 CLR 297; [1981] HCA 26 Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) v Lucas [2014] NSWSC 1441 Director of Public Prosecutions v Fraser & O'Donnell [2008] NSWSC 244 Getty v Antrim County Council [1950] NI 114 Griffiths v Morgan (unreported, Supreme Court of Tasmania, 13 October 1972) Hammond v The Queen (2013) 85 NSWLR 313; [2013] NSWCCA 93 Hardman v The Chief Constable of Avon & Somerset Constabulary [1986] Crim LR 330 Lavorato v The Queen (2012) 82 NSWLR 568; [2012] NSWCCA 61 Morphitis v Salmon [1990] Crim LR 48 Osborne v R; R v Osborne [2017] NSWCCA 11 R v Fiak [2005] EWCA Crim 2381 R v Fisher (1865) LR 1 CCR 7 R v Henderson and Battley (unreported, Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) (England and Wales), 29 November 1984) R v Heyne [1998] NSWSC 429 (unreported, Court of Criminal Appeal, 18 September 1998) R v Tacey (1821) Russ & Ry 452; 168 ER 893 R v Zischke [1983] Qd R 240 Re Day [No 2] [2017] HCA 14; 91 ALJR 518 Samuels v Stubbs (1972) 4 SASR 200 Sasterawan v Morris (2007) 69 NSWLR 547; [2007] NSWCCA 185 Smith, Robert Arthur v Alison Byrne (New South Wales Electoral Commission) [2017] NSWCCA 35 Stevens v Kabushiki Kaisha Sony Computer Entertainment (2005) 224 CLR 193; [2005] HCA 58 The Queen v Rigby (1956) 100 CLR 146; [1956] HCA 38 Waugh v Kippen (1986) 160 CLR 156 at 164; [1986] HCA 12 Zheng v Cai (2009) 239 CLR 446; [2009] HCA 52 Texts Cited: P Allsop, A Ashworth and S Nicholas (eds), "The Binding Effect of Crown Court Decisions" [1980] Crim LR 402 Blackstone, Commentaries on the Law of England, Bk IV, ch 17 Criminal Law Review Division (New South Wales), "Discussion Paper: NSW Malicious Injuries to Property Provisions" Holdsworth, A History of English Law (Methuen & Co Ltd, 5th ed 1966) Vols I and III G Woods, A History of Criminal Law in New South Wales: The Colonial Period 1788-1900 (Federation Press, 2002) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Paul Olaf Grajewski (Appellant) Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: ATS Dawson SC; N Funnell (Appellant) D Kell SC; M Pulsford (Respondent)