SY v R [2018] NSWCCA 6

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: SY v R [2018] NSWCCA 6 Hearing dates: 30 August 2017 Date of orders: 30 August 2017 Decision date: 07 February 2018 Before: Hoeben CJ at CL at [1] Davies J at [2] Bellew J at [105] Decision: 1. The appeal is allowed. 2. The conviction is quashed. 3. The verdict of acquittal is entered. 4. Order that the Appellant be released forthwith. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – indecent assault - appeal against conviction – trial judge's directions to jury – whether directions suggested or implied an onus of proof on the accused – rule in Browne v Dunn – whether rule applicable to criminal proceedings – where parties agreed on the sufficiency of cross-examination – where trial judge raised with the jury the failure to cross-examine beyond the agreement reached – whether misdirection excluded reasonable possibilities of innocence from the jury's consideration - whether misdirection cured by later direction – whether verdict was unreasonable – relevance of misdirection to consideration of unreasonableness – whether jury's advantageous position relevant where misdirection affected onus of proof – improbability of offence having been committed – verdict unreasonable Legislation Cited: Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) Criminal Appeal Rules 1952 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: Allied Pastoral Holdings Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [1983] 1 NSWLR 1 Day v R [2017] NSWCCA 192 Filippou v The Queen (2015) 256 CLR 47; [2015] HCA 29 Liberato v The Queen (1985) 159 CLR 507 M v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 487; [1994] HCA 63 MFA v The Queen (2002) 213 CLR 606; [2002] HCA 53 MWJ v The Queen [2005] HCA 74; (2005) 80 ALJR 329 Moore v R [2016] NSWCCA 185 Popovic v R; Hristovski v R; Bubanja v R; and Koloamatangi v R [2016] NSWCCA 202 R v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308; [2016] HCA 35 R v Whitmore [1999] NSWCCA 247 SKA v The Queen (2011) 243 CLR 400; [2011] HCA 13 SKA v Regina [2012] NSWCCA 205 Tonari v R (2013) 237 A Crim R 490; [2013] NSWCCA 232 Category: Principal judgment Parties: SY (Applicant) Crown (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: P Boulten SC & C Parkin (Applicant) H Baker (Respondent)