R v Mercury [2019] NSWSC 81

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Mercury [2019] NSWSC 81 Hearing dates: 5, 6 February 2019 Decision date: 15 February 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: R A Hulme J Decision: The record of the interview of the accused on 29 April 1971 is inadmissible. Catchwords: EVIDENCE — Discretions — Exclusion of evidence — Criminal proceedings –Objection to admissibility of alleged confession to murder – Confession contained in typewritten record of interview dated 29 April 1971 – Accused aged 17 years at time of interview – No parent, guardian, adult or lawyer present at interview – s 13 Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW) applies – Whether "proper and sufficient reason" for absence of a support person considered – No rules mandating presence of support person in 1971 – Low intellect, immaturity, disturbed upbringing, disturbed mental state and personal vulnerability of accused considered – Record of interview inadmissible in the "particular circumstances of the case" Legislation Cited: Child Welfare Act 1939 (NSW), s 81C Child Welfare (Amendment) Act 1977 (NSW) Child Welfare (Further Amendment) Act 1977 (NSW) Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW), s 13(1) Criminal Code (Tas) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 85, 90 Cases Cited: Dixon v McCarthy [1975] 1 NSWLR 617 McKellar v Smith [1982] 2 NSWLR 950 R v Aquilina [1978] 1 NSWLR 358 R v Close (Supreme Court (NSW), Carmichael J, 20 October 1977, unrep) R v Cotton (1990) 19 NSWLR 593 R v Duncan and Perre [2004] NSWCCA 431 R v Dunn (Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW), 15 April 1992, unrep) R v Phung and Huynh [2001] NSWSC 115 R v Glasby [2000] NSWCCA 83; 115 A Crim R 465 R v H (1996) 85 A Crim R 481 R v Haas (1997) 90 A Crim R 149 R v Huynh and Phung [2001] NSWSC 357 R v ME and LT (Supreme Court (NSW), Dowd J, 3 October 2002, unrep) R v Pratt; R v Baker; R v White (1965) 83 WN (Pt 1) (NSW) 358 R v T [2001] NSWCCA 210; 122 A Crim R 206 R v Warren [1982] 2 NSWLR 360 R v Williams (Supreme Court (NSW), Roden J, 9 August 1982, unrep) Rodway v The Queen (1990) 169 CLR 517; [1990] HCA 19 Texts Cited: Proceedings of the Institute of Criminology No 18, University of Sydney Faculty of Law, Police Questioning and Confessional Statements, May 1965-November 1970 New South Wales Police, Rules and Instructions, (1957) Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Regina Mercury (a pseudonym) Representation: Counsel: Mr D Scully (Crown) Mr R Wilson (Accused)