R v Bechalany [2018] NSWSC 502

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Bechalany [2018] NSWSC 502 Hearing dates: 19 April 2018 Date of orders: 27 April 2018 Decision date: 27 April 2018 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Hidden AJ Decision: Offender convicted, s 9 bond That she submit to the supervision and guidance of the Probation and Parole Service Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – sentence – accessory after the fact to manslaughter – principal offence committed by offender's husband – assisting in attempt to flee the jurisdiction – offender the victim of long standing abuse by him – acting under his direction – her low culpability Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, s 10 Crimes Act 1900, s 350 Cases Cited: Biddle v R [2017] NSWCCA 128 R v Mauger [2012] NSWCCA 51 Category: Sentence Parties: Regina Rhonda Bechalany Representation: Counsel: C Maxwell QC (Crown) GR James QC with E James (Offender)

Solicitors: Solicitor for Public Prosecutions (Crown) Oxford Lawyers (Offender) File Number(s): 2015/157544

Judgment 1. HIS HONOUR: Robert Bechalany is charged with the murder of Luke Browning. It is alleged that on 14 April 2015, in a street at St Clair, he stabbed Mr Browning, causing his death. He is yet to be tried for that offence. The offender, Rhonda Bechalany, is his former wife. She admits having been involved in his attempt to evade justice by leaving the country. She has pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to the manslaughter of Mr Browning, and she stands for sentence for that offence.