R v Taleb [2019] NSWSC 241

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Taleb [2019] NSWSC 241 Hearing dates: 25 February 2019 – 5 March 2019 Date of orders: 08 March 2019 Decision date: 08 March 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Hamill J Decision: Evidentiary rulings made – see paragraph [172] Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – evidence – nature of objections – grappling with smoke – controlled operation – whether "cross border" operation – where investigation entirely within New South Wales – police inadvertently obtain wrong authority – discretion to admit evidence in spite of unlawfulness – whether police misled issuing authority – whether authority authorised terrorist act – whether authority authorised interception of telephone calls – construction of statute – appropriate time limit – whether warrant exceed statutory time limit

CRIMINAL LAW – evidence – electronically recorded interview – where suspect seeks to exercise right to silence – where police continue questioning – where accused seeks information as to why he is being charged – rule of practice – where police purport to continue "process" after accused exercised right – whether any such process exists – whether interview should be terminated – evidence obtained improperly – discretion to admit – evidence excluded

CRIMINAL LAW – evidence – material extracted from accused's smart 'phone – evidence relevant to accused's belief in radical Sunni Islam – whether prosecution need to establish that accused viewed material – binding authority to the contrary – prejudicial impact of evidence – executions and beheadings – selection of material admissible – most distressing evidence excluded Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Law Enforcement (Controlled Operations) Act 1997 (NSW) Law Enforcement (Controlled Operations) Regulation 2017 (NSW) Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 (Cth) Cases Cited: Bunning v Cross (1978) 141 CLR 54; [1978] HCA 22 Elomar v The Queen [2014] NSWCCA 303; 300 FLR 323 Fairfax Digital Australia & New Zealand Pty Ltd v Ibrahim [2012] NSWCCA 125; 293 ALR 384 Gedeon v NSW Crime Commission (2008) 236 CLR 120; [2008] HCA 43 Gedeon, Gilbert v R [2013] NSWCCA 257 Gilbert v The Queen (2000) 201 CLR 414; HCA 15 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd & Anor v District Court of NSW & Ors [2004] NSWCA 324 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305; 52 NSWLR 705 Plevac v R (1995) 84 A Crim R 570 R v FE [2013] NSWSC 1692 R v Jamal [2008] NSWCCA 177; 72 NSWLR 258 R v Simmons; R v Moore (No 4) [2015] NSWSC 259 R v Sloane (1990) 49 A Crim R 270 Ridgeway v The Queen (1995) 184 CLR 19 Sherman v United States (1958) 356 US 369 The Queen v Ireland (1970) 126 CLR 321; HCA 21 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Regina Moudasser Taleb Representation: Counsel: P McDonald SC; S Duggan (Regina) M Finnane QC (Mr Taleb)