Martinez v R; Tortell v R [2019] NSWCCA 153

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Martinez v R; Tortell v R [2019] NSWCCA 153 Hearing dates: 29 May 2019 Date of orders: 10 July 2019 Decision date: 10 July 2019 Before: Macfarlan JA at [1]; R A Hulme J at [132]; Adamson J at [133] Decision: (1) Grant the appellants leave to appeal to the extent necessary. (2) Allow the appeals. (3) Quash both the appellants' convictions of murder (Count 1 of the Indictments). (4) Direct retrials of the appellants on the charges of murder on which they were convicted. (5) Quash Wade Martinez's conviction of the offence of reckless wounding in company (the statutory alternative to Count 2 in the Indictment against him). (6) Acquit Wade Martinez of that offence of reckless wounding in company. (7) The matter is listed for mention in the Supreme Court Arraignments List on 12 July 2019 or such other date as directed by the Criminal List Judge. Catchwords: CRIME – conviction appeal – whether an alternative verdict of manslaughter based on a joint criminal enterprise to inflict injury falling short of grievous bodily harm should have been left to jury CRIME – conviction appeal – directions – failure to give proper direction on consciousness of guilt evidence – failure to give proper direction where accused did not give evidence – failure to give proper direction on meaning of "in company" CRIMES – conviction appeal – unreasonable verdict – whether verdict on one count was unreasonable in light of acquittal on another count Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 35 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), ss 6(1), 7(2) Criminal Appeal Rules (NSW), r 4 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 20(2) Cases Cited: Alford v Magee (1952) 85 CLR 437; [1952] HCA 3 Azzopardi v The Queen (2001) 205 CLR 50; [2001] HCA 25 Bullard v The Queen [1957] AC 635 Edwards v The Queen (1993) 178 CLR 193; [1993] HCA 63 Gilbert v The Queen (2000) 201 CLR 414; [2000] HCA 15 Gillard v The Queen (2003) 219 CLR 1; [2003] HCA 64 Huynh v The Queen [2013] HCA 6; (2013) 87 ALJR 434 James v The Queen (2014) 253 CLR 475; [2014] HCA 6 Johnston v The Queen [2007] NSWCCA 133 McKey v The Queen (2012) 219 A Crim R 227; [2012] NSWCCA 1 Mehajer v R (2014) 244 A Crim R 15; [2014] NSWCCA 167 Miller v The Queen (2016) 259 CLR 380; [2016] HCA 30 R v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308; [2016] HCA 35 R v Button (2002) 54 NSWLR 455; [2002] NSWCCA 159 R v Cook [2004] NSWCCA 52 R v Jackson [1993] 4 SCR 573 R v Nguyen (2010) 242 CLR 491; [2010] HCA 38 R v White [1998] 2 SCR 72 R v Wilson (2005) 62 NSWLR 346; [2005] NSWCCA 20 Restricted Decision [2018] NSWCCA 246 Spies v The Queen (2000) 201 CLR 603; [2000] HCA 43 White v The Queen (2016) 261 A Crim R 302; [2016] NSWCCA 190 Wilson v The Queen (1992) 174 CLR 313; [1992] HCA 31 Zoneff v The Queen (2000) 200 CLR 234; [2000] HCA 28 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Wade Martinez (Applicant) Jake Tortell (Applicant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: G Bashir SC with C McGorey (Applicant) T Game SC with S Howell (Applicant) M Cinque SC (Respondent)