Blacktown City Council v Everson [2019] NSWLEC 4

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Blacktown City Council v Everson [2019] NSWLEC 4 Hearing dates: 31 January 2018 Date of orders: 17 January 2019 Decision date: 17 January 2019 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Molesworth AJ Decision: See orders at [83]. Catchwords: SENTENCE - contempt of court – failure to comply with terms of consent orders to remove scrap materials from premises – plea of guilty – whether contempt wilful or contumacious – in circumstances of intentional and ongoing offending, disregard of Council, amenity impacts and health risk of offence, and contemnor's deceptive behaviour to Court and counsel, contempt characterised as contumacious - custodial sentence appropriate but for the contemnor's age and infirmity- ability to pay fine – fine imposed – additional monthly penalty until contempt purged – costs on an indemnity basis Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, ss 3A, 5, 21, 21A, 22 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, s 76B Fines Act 1996, s 6 Land and Environment Court Rules 2007, r 5.2(1) Supreme Court Rules 1970, r 55.13(1) Blacktown Local Environmental Plan 2015 Cases Cited: Burwood Council v Ruan [2008] NSWLEC 167 Canterbury City Council v Ali Ahmed [2016] NSWLEC 160 Council of the City of Sydney v SP 18820 [2017] NSWLEC 81 Cumberland Council v Khoury [2017] NSWLEC 14 Ditfort v Katz [1991] NSWCA 80 Environment Protection Authority v Pannowitz (No 2) 153 LGERA 26; [2006] NSWLEC 797 Fairfield City Council v Adams (No 2) [2010] NSWLEC 45 Georges River Council v Mifsud [2017] NSWLEC 113 Hutley v Cosco [2016] NSWLEC 15 McIntyre v Perkes (1988) 15 NSWLR 417 NCR Australia Pty Ltd v Credit Connection Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 1118 Owners Strata Plan 37762 v Pham (No 2) [2007] NSWLEC 306 Plath v Rawson (2009) 170 LGERA 253; [2009] NSWLEC 178 R v Rahme (1989) 43 A Crim R 81 Registrar of the Court of Appeal v Maniam (No 2) (1992) 26 NSWLR 309 Sydney City Council v Sydney Tool Supplies Pty Ltd & Daniel Bek (No 3) [2012] NSWLEC 27 Waverley Council v Tovir Investments Pty Ltd & Rappaport (No 4) [2013] NSWLEC 88 Wood v Staunton (No 5) (1996) 86 A Crim R 183 Texts Cited: Borrie and Lowe: The Law of Contempt (4th ed, 2010, LexisNexis) Dal Pont Law of Costs (3rd ed, 2013, LexisNexis) Category: Sentence Parties: Blacktown City Council (Applicant) Ronald Francis Everson (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr M L Wright SC (Applicant) Dr G O'Shea (Respondent)