R v Biber [2018] NSWSC 535

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Biber [2018] NSWSC 535 Hearing dates: 20 April 2018 Date of orders: 27 April 2018 Decision date: 27 April 2018 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: Adamson J Decision: (1) Sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 4 years and 9 months commencing on 3 November 2016 and expiring on 2 August 2021.

(2) Fix a non-parole period of 2 years and 6 months, expiring on 2 May 2019. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – sentencing – entering Syria with the intention of engaging in armed hostilities – plea of guilty – discount for utilitarian value allowed – immaturity of offender – delay in charging relevant to specific deterrence and prospects of rehabilitation Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1914 (Cth), ss 16A, 16F, 17A, 19AB Crimes (Foreign Incursions and Recruitment) Act 1978 (Cth) ss 6, 7 Crimes Legislation Amendment Act 1987 (Cth) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 24 and 47 Criminal Code (Terrorist Organisation - Islamic State) Regulation 2014 (Cth) Criminal Code (Terrorist Organisation - Jabhat al-Nusra) Regulation 2013 (Cth) Cases Cited: Fardon v Attorney-General for the State of Queensland (2004) 223 CLR 575; [2004] HCA 46 Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Power v The Queen (1974) 131 CLR 623; [1974] HCA 26 R v Blacklidge (Unreported, Court of Criminal Appeal, 12 December 1995) R v Forbes [2005] NSWCCA 377 R v Mohammed [2016] VSC 581 The Queen v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 Veen v The Queen (No. 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465; [1988] HCA 14 Weininger v The Queen (2003) 212 CLR 629; [2003] HCA 14 Xiao v R [2018] NSWCCA 4 Texts Cited: Charter of the United Nations Commonwealth of Australia Parliamentary Debates, Senate (Hansard) 5 November 1987 Category: Sentence Parties: Regina Mehmet Biber Representation: Counsel: D Staehli SC/ R Glover (Crown) T Anderson (Offender)