R v Alou (No. 4) [2018] NSWSC 221

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Alou (No. 4) [2018] NSWSC 221 Hearing dates: 29 January 2018 to 2 February 2018 Date of orders: 01 March 2018 Decision date: 01 March 2018 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: Johnson J Decision: The Offender, Raban Alou, is sentenced for the offence of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of a terrorist act by Farhad Mohammad against s.101(1) Criminal Code 1995 (Cth), to a term of imprisonment of 44 years commencing on 7 October 2015 and expiring on 6 October 2059 with a non-parole period of 33 years commencing on 7 October 2015 and expiring on 6 October 2048. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - sentence - guilty plea - aiding and abetting commission of terrorist act - fatal shooting of Curtis Cheng outside New South Wales Police Headquarters - 18-year old Offender supplied firearm to 15-year old killer - other acts of assistance by Offender - Offender a supporter of Islamic State - Offender deeply radicalised at time of offence - Offender remains radicalised - very high objective gravity of offence - absence of contrition and remorse - grim prospects of rehabilitation - factors relevant to sentence - importance of denunciation, general deterrence and specific deterrence - relevance of youth - very substantial determinate sentence imposed Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Criminal Code (Cth) Cases Cited: Benbrika v R (2010) 29 VR 593; [2010] VSCA 281 DPP (Cth) v Besim [2017] VSCA 158 DPP (Cth) v Besim and Anor (No. 3) (2017) 322 FLR 96; [2017] VSCA 180 DPP (Cth) v Fattal [2013] VSCA 276 DPP (Cth) v MHK [2017] VSCA 157 Filippou v The Queen (2015) 256 CLR 47; [2015] HCA 29 GAS v The Queen (2004) 217 CLR 198 at 209; [2004] HCA 22 Lodhi v R (2007) 179 A Crim R 470; [2007] NSWCCA 360 R v AB (2011) 59 MVR 356; [2011] NSWCCA 229 R v Achurch (2011) 216 A Crim R 152; [2011] NSWCCA 186 R v Alou (No. 1) [2017] NSWSC 1731 R v Barot [2007] EWCA Crim 1119 R v Denyer [1995] 1 VR 186 R v Dodd (1991) 57 A Crim R 349 R v Elomar and Ors (2010) 264 ALR 759; [2010] NSWSC 10 R v Ghazzawy [2017] NSWSC 474 R v Kahar [2016] 1 WLR 3156; [2016] EWCA Crim 568 R v Khalid and Ors [2017] NSWSC 1365 R v Khazaal [2009] NSWSC 1015 R v Lodhi (2006) 199 FLR 364; [2006] NSWSC 691 R v Zerafa [2013] NSWCCA 222 Xiao v R [2018] NSWCCA 4 Texts Cited: "Explanatory Note on the Judicial Process and Participation of Muslims" prepared by Australian National Imams Council Category: Sentence Parties: Regina (Crown) Raban Alou (Offender) Representation: Counsel: Mr PR McGuire SC; Mr Y Shariff; Ms JD Alderson (Crown) Mr M Johnston SC (Offender)