Bega Valley Shire Council v Williams [2018] NSWLEC 124

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bega Valley Shire Council v Williams [2018] NSWLEC 124 Hearing dates: 21 June 2018, 24 August 2018 Date of orders: 03 September 2018 Decision date: 03 September 2018 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pain J Decision: See [123] of judgment Catchwords: SENTENCING – plea of guilty to offence of carrying out development without a development consent – unlawful vegetation clearing in public reserve – mid-level of low range of objective seriousness – mitigating circumstances – whether proceedings should have been commenced in Local Court – penalty imposed – limited costs order made Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure Act) 1999 ss 3A, 21A, 22 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 s 257B Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 5, 76A, 125, 125B Evidence Act 1995 ss 4, 86 Fines Act 1996 s 6 Cases Cited: Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd (2006) 145 LGERA 234; [2006] NSWLEC 34 Cameron v Eurobodalla Shire Council (2006) 146 LGERA 349; [2006] NSWLEC 47 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Campbelltown City Council v Woolley [2018] NSWLEC 82 Council v the City of Shoalhaven v Wilson [2015] NSWLEC 93 Director General of National Parks and Wildlife v Wilkinson [2002] NSWLEC 171 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae (2009) 168 LGERA 121; [2009] NSWLEC 137 Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (2017) 228 LGERA 55; [2017] NSWCCA 302 Garrett v Freeman (No 5) (2009) 164 LGERA 287; [2009] NSWLEC 1 Garrett v Williams (2006) 160 LGERA 115; [2006] NSWLEC 785 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council (2006) 145 LGERA 189; [2006] NSWLEC 242 Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Hoare v R (1989) 167 CLR 348; [1989] HCA 33 Manly Council v Lee [2011] NSWLEC 166 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Muldrock v The Queen (2011) 244 CLR 120; [2011] HCA 39 R v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 R v Peel [1971] 1 NSWLR 247 R v Sandford (1994) 33 NSWLR 172; 72 A Crim R 160 R v Sharma (2002) 54 NSWLR 300; [2002] NSWCCA 142 R v Thomson; R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; [2000] NSWCCA 309 R v Visconti [1982] 2 NSWLR 104 Ryde City Council v Xu [2003] NSWLEC 146 Veen v The Queen (1979) 143 CLR 458; [1979] HCA 7 Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465; [1988] HCA 14 Zreika v R (2012) 223 A Crim R 460; [2012] NSWCCA 44 Category: Sentence Parties: Bega Valley Shire Council (Prosecutor) Paul Herbert Williams (Defendant) Representation: COUNSEL: D Robertson (Prosecutor) M Higgins (Defendant)