R v Jenkin and Ors [2018] NSWSC 547

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Jenkin and Ors [2018] NSWSC 547 Hearing dates: 13, 20 and 24 April 2018 Date of orders: 30 April 2018 Decision date: 30 April 2018 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Hamill J Decision: (1) Application for severance of counts 2 and 3 refused. (2) Order that Stuart Anthony Cowan be tried separately from Mark Kenneth Jenkin. (3) In accordance with the Chief Justice's exemption under s 128(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act and the undertaking of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the joint indictment is to be withdrawn and an indictment against Stuart Anthony Cowan to be presented in the District Court. (4) Adjourn the proceedings against Stuart Anthony Cowan for mention on Monday 7 May 2018 at 9:30am. (5) Subject to further pre-trial applications, the trial of Mark Kenneth Jenkin is to commence on Wednesday 2 May 2018. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – application for severance of counts – relevant principles – where accused charged with murder – further charged with soliciting the murder of a witness – where accused and stepbrother charged with conspiracy to murder witness – where tendency evidence to be tendered on murder charge not admissible in respect of solicit and conspiracy charges – whether facts behind solicit charge admissible to prove consciousness of guilt – whether prejudice capable of being cured by direction – application refused

CRIMINAL LAW – murder – conspiracy and solicit murder of witness – application for separate trial from stepbrother – where stepbrother charged with conspiracy but not other offences – where cases substantially different – where case against stepbrother relatively confined – where stepbrother made inadmissible and pejorative references to accused and his defence to the murder charge – psychotic – compulsive liar – "believes his own bullshit" – stand-over merchant - cumulative impact of prejudicial material – incapable of cure by direction – application granted Legislation Cited: Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) ss 21, 29, 128, 132A Cases Cited: Baden-Clay v The Queen [2016] HCA 35; 334 ALR 234 Gall v R [2015] NSWCCA 69 Gilbert v The Queen (2000) 201 CLR 414; [2000] HCA 15 Mulvihill v R [2016] NSWCCA 529 R v Brooks [2017] NSWSC 188 R v Ciantar (2006) 16 VR 26; [2006] VSCA 263 R v Cook [2004] NSWCCA 52 R v Fernando & Anor [1999] NSWCA 66 R v Jamal (2008) 72 NSWLR 258; [2008] NSWCCA 177 R v Martin & Martin [2017] NSWSC 1106 R v Middis (Supreme Court (NSW), 27 March 1991, unrep) R v Patalis & Spathis (No 1) [1999] NSWSC 649; (1997) 107 A Crim R 432 R v Pham [2004] NSWCCA 190 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 3) (Severance and separate trial) [2016] NSWSC 15 R v Roff [2015] NSWSC 1853 R v Sievers [2004] NSWCCA 463; (2004) 151 A Crim R 426 R v White [1998] 2 SCR 72 Steer v R [2008] NSWCCA 295; (2008) 191 A Crim R 435 The Queen v Darby (1982) 148 CLR 668; [1982] HCA 32 The Queen v Glennon (1992) 173 CLR 592 Webb and Hay v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 41; [1994] HCA 30 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Regina Mark Kenneth Jenkin Stuart Cowan Paul William Turner Representation: Counsel: Mr M Fox (Crown) Mr P Lowe (Jenkin) Mr R Driels (Cowan) Mr P Young SC (Turner)