Tran v R [2018] NSWCCA 220

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Tran v R [2018] NSWCCA 220 Hearing dates: 28 February 2018 Date of orders: 12 October 2018 Decision date: 12 October 2018 Before: Hoeben CJ at CL at [1] Johnson J at [2] N Adams J at [164] Decision: By majority:

1. Grant leave to appeal against sentence. 2. Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – sentence appeal – five offences of knowingly taking part in cultivation by enhanced indoor means of the large commercial quantity of cannabis plants and one offence of knowingly taking part in cultivation by enhanced indoor means of the commercial quantity of cannabis plants – six commercial premises in Sydney metropolitan area with sophisticated hydroponic cannabis cultivation systems – applicant responsible for negotiation and arrangement of leases of the commercial premises with knowledge they would be used for purpose of cultivating cannabis by enhanced indoor means – additional Form 1 offences concerning cultivation by enhanced indoor means of commercial quantity of cannabis plants which exposed children to the cultivation process at the applicant's residential premises – aggregate sentence of imprisonment of 13 years and 4 months with a non–parole period of 10 years – whether denial of procedural fairness in sentencing Judge findings of applicant's role – whether error in assessment of objective criminality – whether sentencing Judge gave sufficient weight to the applicant's subjective circumstances – whether error in declining to make finding of special circumstances – whether sentence manifestly excessive – held (by majority) no error demonstrated – leave to appeal granted but appeal dismissed Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Amendment Act 2007 Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 Drug Misuse and Trafficking Amendment (Hydroponic Cultivation) Act 2006 Electricity Supply Act 1995 Cases Cited: Abbas v R (2013) 231 A Crim R 413; [2013] NSWCCA 115 Brennan v R [2018] NSWCCA 22 Cherdchoochatri (2013) 277 FLR 126; [2013] NSWCCA 118 Chow v Director of Public Prosecutions (1992) 28 NSWLR 593 Clarke v R (2015) 254 A Crim R 150; [2015] NSWCCA 232 Co v R [2011] NSWCCA 148 Crawford v R [2013] NSWCCA 269 Crowley v R [2017] NSWCCA 99 DL v The Queen (2018) 92 ALJR 764; [2018] HCA 32 Filippou v The Queen (2015) 256 CLR 47; [2015] HCA 29 GAS v The Queen (2004) 217 CLR 198; [2004] HCA 22 Hanh Thi Nguyen v R (2011) 208 A Crim R 432; [2011] NSWCCA 92 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 JM v R (2014) 246 A Crim R 528; [2014] NSWCCA 297 Kresovic v R [2018] NSWCCA 37 Leach v The Queen (2007) 230 CLR 1; [2007] HCA 3 Mulato v R [2006] NSWCCA 282 Newman v R [2018] NSWCCA 208 Nguyen v R [2009] NSWCCA 283 Nguyen v R [2013] VSCA 63 Nguyen v R [2015] NSWCCA 268 O'Neil-Shaw v R [2010] NSWCCA 42 Pham v R [2009] NSWCCA 266 Pham v R [2011] NSWCCA 3 Phan v R [2010] NSWCCA 8 R v Clarke [2014] NSWDC 35 R v CWW (1993) 32 NSWLR 348 R v Fahda [2013] NSWCCA 86 R v Fidow [2004] NSWCCA 172 R v LP [2010] NSWCCA 154 R v Ly [2010] NSWDC 229 R v Nguyen; R v Tran [2011] NSWDC 135 R v Nong [2010] NSWDC 227 R v Simpson (2001) 53 NSWLR 704; [2001] NSWCCA 534 R v Tran [2017] NSWDC 397 R v Uzabeaga (2000) 119 A Crim R 452; [2000] NSWCCA 381 R v Wei [2014] NSWDC 33 Shortland v R (2013) 224 A Crim R 486; [2013] NSWCCA 4 Stock v The Queen (2011) 206 A Crim R 574; [2011] NSWCCA 49 The Queen v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 The Queen v Pham (2015) 256 CLR 550; [2015] HCA 39 Tran v R [2010] NSWCCA 72 Vaiusu v R [2017] NSWCCA 71 Vu v R [2018] NSWCCA 122 Wong v R [2010] NSWCCA 160 Zhao v R [2016] NSWCCA 170 Texts Cited: --- Category: Principal judgment Parties: Tony Tran (Applicant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Ms S Kluss (Applicant) Mr E Balodis (Respondent)