Meakin v R [2018] NSWCCA 288

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Meakin v R [2018] NSWCCA 288 Hearing dates: 15 August 2018 Decision date: 14 December 2018 Before: Macfarlan JA at [1]; Hoeben CJ at CL at [140]; Fagan J at [151] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal is granted. (2) Ground 1 of the appeal is rejected. (3) The appeal is allowed on ground 2 only. (4) Quash the appellant's conviction of murder. (5) Order that there be a retrial of the appellant on the indictment. Catchwords: CRIME – appeal against conviction – appellant convicted by jury of murder – appellant was driving, with his blood-alcohol level in excess of prescribed concentration, when his van struck and killed the deceased – appellant had an altercation with the deceased prior to the collision – appellant alleged that the collision was an accident – whether the jury verdict was unreasonable and unable to be supported by evidence – discussion of the role of an appellate court in addressing "unreasonable verdict" grounds of appeal – whether the trial judge erred in leaving to the jury evidence of the appellant's flight from the scene, or alternatively leaving such evidence to the jury as evidence of consciousness of guilt Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 52A(2) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), ss 5(1), 6(1) Cases Cited: Baiada Poultry Pty Ltd v The Queen (2012) 246 CLR 92; [2012] HCA 14 Barca v The Queen (1975) 133 CLR 82; [1975] HCA 42 BCM v The Queen [2013] HCA 48; (2013) 88 ALJR 101 Belhaven and Stenton Peerage (1875) 1 App Case 278 Dickson v The Queen (2017) 94 NSWLR 476; [2017] NSWCCA 78 Edwards v The Queen (1993) 178 CLR 193; [1993] HCA 63 Filippou v The Queen (2015) 256 CLR 47; [2015] HCA 29 GAX v The Queen [2017] HCA 25; (2017) 91 ALJR 698 Gipp v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 106; [1998] HCA 21 Jones v The Queen (1997) 191 CLR 439; [1997] HCA 56 Kalbasi v Western Australia [2018] HCA 7 Lane v The Queen [2018] HCA 28 M v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 487; [1994] HCA 63 Martinez v The State of Western Australia [2007] WASCA 143; (2007) 172 A Crim R 389 MFA v The Queen (2002) 213 CLR 606; [2002] HCA 53 Peacock v The King (1911) 13 CLR 619; [1911] HCA 66 Power & Power v R (1996) 87 A Crim R 407 R v Cook [2004] NSWCCA 52 R v Power (1996) 87 A Crim R 407 R v White [1998] 2 SCR 72 Ratten v The Queen (1974) 131 CLR 510; [1974] HCA 35 Romolo v R [2018] NSWCCA 3 Shepherd v The Queen (1990) 170 CLR 573; [1990] HCA 56 SKA v The Queen (2011) 243 CLR 400; [2011] HCA 13 The Queen v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308; [2016] HCA 35 The Queen v Hillier (2007) 228 CLR 618; [2007] HCA 13 Weiss v The Queen (2005) 224 CLR 300; [2005] HCA 81 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Michael Meakin (Appellant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Renwick SC / M Kalyk (Appellant) H Roberts (Respondent)