R v BC [2018] NSWDC 124

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v BC [2018] NSWDC 124 Hearing dates: 12 March 2018, 13 March 2018, 14 March 2018, 15 March 2018, 16 March 2018, 19 March 2018, 20 March 2018, 21 March 2018, 23 March 2018, 26 March 2018 Date of orders: 26 March 2018 Decision date: 26 March 2018 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Haesler SC DCJ Decision: Jury Discharged Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - Jury Discharge - Jury cannot agree - only 5 hours elapsed - jury adamant unable to reach unanimous verdict - long Black direction - jury still adamant - shorter Black direction - exhortation to jury fails - majority verdict unavailable - clear appellate authority - requirement to submit to higher authority - alternatives discussed - unanimity a fundamental requirement - duty to ensure a fair trial. Legislation Cited: Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Jury Act 1977 Cases Cited: Bignill v DPP [2016] NSWCA 13 Black v The Queen (1993) 179 CLR 44 Flemming v White [1981] 2 NSWLR 719 Hunt v R [2011] NSWCCA 152, Ingham [2011] NSWCCA 88, at [22] Jago v The District Court of NSW (1989) 168 CLR 23 Kingston v Keprose Pty Ltd (1987) 11 NSWLR 404 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28 R v Penrith [2013] NSWDC 198 RJS v Regina [2007] NSWCCA 241 Villis v R [2014] NSWCCA 74 Texts Cited: Criminal Practice and Procedure NSW, R Howie and P Johnson, Editors, LexisNexis, New South Wales Law Reform Commission Report 48 (1986); Criminal Procedure: The Jury in a Criminal Trial, New South Wales Law Reform Commission, Report 111, Majority Verdicts 2005, Second Reading Speech by the Attorney General Bob Debus: NSW Legislative Assembly Hansard Jury Amendment (Verdicts) Bill Extract from NSW Legislative Assembly Hansard and Papers Wednesday 5 April 2006, (2016) 23 Criminal Law Notes, LexisNexis Category: Principal judgment Parties: BC (Accused) Director of Public Prosecutions Representation: Counsel: Mr A Lucas (for the Accused) Ms K Ratcliffe, Mr M Fox (for the Director of Public Prosecutions)