Grabovac v R [2018] NSWCCA 100

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Grabovac v R [2018] NSWCCA 100 Hearing dates: 26 March 2018 Date of orders: 28 May 2018 Decision date: 28 May 2018 Before: Bathurst CJ at [1]; Schmidt J at [4]; Hamill J at [119] Decision: 1. Leave to appeal is granted; 2. The appeal is upheld; 3. The sentence imposed by Sides QC DCJ on 7 September 2016 is set aside; and 4. Mr Grabovac is sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 10 years, 6 months, commencing on 21 June 2016, with a non-parole period of 6 years, 9 months, with the result that he will first become eligible for parole on 20 March 2023. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – appeal against sentence – disparity between sentences of co-offenders – justifiable sense of grievance – whether principle of parity correctly applied – where sentencing exercise resulted in unjustifiable discrepancy – appeal allowed Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW) Cases Cited: Alvares v R; Farache v R [2011] NSWCCA 33; 209 A Crim R 297 Attorney General's Application under s 37 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 No 1 of 2002 (2002) 56 NSWLR 146; [2002] NSWCCA 581 Butters v R [2010] NSWCCA 1 Dimian v R [2016] NSWCCA 223 Green v The Queen; Quinn v The Queen (2011) 244 CLR 463; [2011] HCA 49 Lowe v The Queen (1984) 154 CLR 606; [1984] HCA 46 Markarian v The Queen (2008) 228 CLR 357; [2008] HCA 45 Postiglione v The Queen (1997) 189 CLR 295; [1997] HCA 26 Power v The Queen (1974) 131 CLR 623; HCA 26 R v Harrison [2001] NSWCCA 79; 121 A Crim R 380 R v Knight [2005] NSWCCA 253; 155 A Crim R 252 R v JW (2010) 77 NSWLR 7; [2010] NSWCCA 49 R v MJB [2014] NSWCCA 195 R v Qutami [2001] NSWCCA 353; 127 A Crim R 369 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Frano Grabovac (Appellant) Regina (Crown) Representation: Counsel: M Johnston SC (Appellant) B Hatfield (Crown)