R v Fennell [2019] NSWDC 397

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Fennell [2019] NSWDC 397 Hearing dates: 07 August 2019 Decision date: 07 August 2019 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Haesler SC DCJ Decision: Appropriate jury direction where defence assume onus of proof. Catchwords: CRIME — Driving offences — Dangerous driving occasioning death – causation - defence raised on the evidence - onus of proof- no need to boldly go where no one has gone before - go back to 1956 - onus of proof on defence on balance of probabilities - jury directions. CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — Trial — Directions to jury - dangerous driving causing death - where a statutory defence raised. Legislation Cited: Crimes Act (NSW) 1900 Evidence Act 1995 Cases Cited: Arulthilakan v The Queen [2003] HCA 74; (2003) 78 ALJR 257 Burns v The Queen [2012] HCA 35; 246 CLR 334 IL v The Queen [2017] HCA 27; (2016) 260 A Crim R 101 R v F (1957) SR (NSW) 543 R v Lavender [2005] HCA 37; 222 CLR 67 R v Simon George Lees (No 2) (Verdict); R v Stuart Lewry (No 2) (Verdict) [2019] NSWDC 118 R v Windle (1958) SR (NSW) 110 Royall v R [1991] HCA 27; 172 CLR 378 Whelan v R [2012] NSWCCA 147 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Amelia Rae Fennell (the accused) Director of Public Prosecutions Representation: Counsel: Mr R Steward (for the accused) Mr D Scully, Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor (for Director of Public Prosecutions)