MC v R [2017] NSWCCA 316

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: MC v R [2017] NSWCCA 316 Hearing dates: 10 November 2017 Date of orders: 13 December 2017 Decision date: 13 December 2017 Before: Simpson JA [1]; Rothman J [2]; Hamill J [3] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal granted. (2) Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – appeal against sentence – historical sexual offences – substantial delay – where patterns of sentencing changed – where maximum penalties increased and definitions of offences changed – correct approach to sentencing –significance of general deterrence – whether sentencing judge erred in approach to deterrence – judicial memory – whether appropriate for judge to use personal memory of sentencing patterns decades earlier – whether sentence manifestly excessive Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Cases Cited: AJB v R (2007) 169 A Crim R 32 Attorney General (NSW) v Perpetual Trustee Co Limited (1952) 85 CLR 237 Denham v R [2016] NSWCCA 309 Dinsdale v R (2000) 202 CLR 321; [2000] HCA 54 Featherstone v R 183 A Crim R 540; [2008] NSWCCA 71 Henderson v R [2016] NSWCCA 8 JM v R [2014] NSWCCA 297 Magnuson v R [2013] NSWCCA 50 MPB v R (2013) 234 A Crim R 576; [2013] NSWCCA 213 Mulato v R [2006] NSWCCA 282 Pearce v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 610; [1998] HCA 57 PH v R [2009] NSWCCA 161 PWB v R [2011] NSWCCA 84 R v AGR, unreported CCA (NSW), 24 July 1998 R v Clarke, unreported CCA (NSW) 18 February 1983 R v ED, unreported CCA (NSW) 22 November 1996 R v James Henry Sargeant (1974) 60 Cr. App. R. 74 R v Knight (2005) 155 A Crim R 252 R v MAK; R V MSK [2006] NSWCCA 381;167 A Crim R 159 R v MJR (2002) 54 NSWLR 368; [2002] NSWCCA 129 R v Moon (2000)117 A Crim 497 R v PLV (2001) 51 NSWLR 736 R v Shore (1992) 66 A Crim R 37 R v Watson [1999] NSWCCA 227 Regina v Wheeler [2000] NSWCCA 34 Truong v R; R v Le; Nguyen v R; R v Nguyen [2013] NSWCCA 36 Tweedie v R [2015] NSWCCA 71 Texts Cited: OW Holmes Jnr, The Common Law (1882, London, Macmillan & Co) Carter, Australian Sentencing Digest (1985, Law Book Company) Category: Principal judgment Parties: MC Crown Representation: Counsel: Mr A Bellanto (Appellant) Mr E Balodis (Crown)