Amagwula v R [2019] NSWCCA 156

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Amagwula v R [2019] NSWCCA 156 Hearing dates: 8 February 2019 Decision date: 19 July 2019 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Button J at [68]; Lonergan at [407] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal to argue ground 2 granted. (2) Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIME – appeal against conviction – supply of prohibited drugs – unrepresented accused at trial – pleas of not guilty not personally entered by accused on arraignment before the jury panel – whether trial a nullity as a result – whether trial so unfair as to constitute a miscarriage of justice – both grounds dismissed Legislation Cited: Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), ss 5, 6 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), ss 16, 20, 130, 154, 155, 157 Criminal Procedure Amendment (Pre-Trial Disclosure) Act 2001 (NSW), s 63A Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW), ss 25, 29 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 138 Cases Cited: Caruso v R [2012] VSCA 138 Dupas v The Queen (2010) 241 CLR 237 Fell v Chenhall [2018] NSWSC 1574 Fell v Chenhall [2018] NSWCA 260 Frawley (1993) 69 A Crim R 208 Gallagher v The Queen (1986) 160 CLR 392; [1986] HCA 26 GG v The Queen (2010) 79 NSWLR 194; [2010] NSWCCA 230 Gilbert v The Queen (2000) 201 CLR 414; [2000] HCA 15 Gould v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) [2018] NSWCCA 109 Hughes v R (2015) 93 NSWLR 474; [2015] NSWCCA330 Kamm v R [2007] NSWCCA 201 Libke v R (2007) 230 CLR 559; [2007] HCA 30 MacPherson v R (1981) 147 CLR 512 Murphy v The Queen (1989) 167 CLR 94; [1989] HCA 28 Nudd v The Queen [2006] HCA 9; (2006) 80 ALJR 614 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Reg v Ellis (1973) 57 Cr App R 571 Reg v Williams [1976] 1 QB 373 R v Apostilides [1984] HCA 38; (1984) 154 CLR 563; R v Birlut (1995) NSWLR 1 R v Boyle [1954] 2 QB 292 R v Ellis (1973) 57 Cr App Rep 571 R v Halmi (2005) 62 NSWLR 262; [2005] NSWCCA 2 R v Heyes [1950] 2 All ER 587 R v Janceski (2005) 64 NSWLR 10; [2005] NSWCCA 281 R v Kepple [2007] EWCA Crim 1339 R v Nicolaidis (1994) 33 NSWLR 364 R v Talia [1996] 1 VR 462 R v Williams (Roy) (1977) 64 Cr App Rep 106; [1978] QB 373 Van Beelen v The Queen (2017) 91 ALJR 1244; [2017] HCA 48 Texts Cited: Halsbury's Laws of England, vol 27 LexisNexis Butterworths, Criminal Practice & Procedure NSW Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, A History of the Criminal Law of England (1883, Macmillan and Co), vol 1 Sir Stephen Mitchell QC, Archbold: Criminal Pleading, Evidence & Practice (67th ed, 2019, Thomson Reuters) Watson, Blackmore and Hosking, Criminal Law New South Wales William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (2016, Oxford University Press) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Chidi Gozie Amagwula (Appellant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: E Ozen SC (Appellant) H Roberts (Respondent)