R v McCloskey; R v Hamalainen (No 2) [2019] NSWSC 1176

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v McCloskey; R v Hamalainen (No 2) [2019] NSWSC 1176 Hearing dates: 20 and 26 August 2019 Date of orders: 27 August 2019 Decision date: 06 September 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: Wright J Decision: 1. The application of Sami Hamalainen for a separate trial is dismissed.

2. The applications of Robert McCloskey and Sami Hamalainen for a trial by judge order are dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – Preliminary applications – application for separate hearing – evidence of admissions by co-accused not admissible against accused – prejudice can be adequately mitigated by appropriate directions – not a weak case against accused made immeasurably stronger by evidence inadmissible against accused but admissible against co-accused – interests of justice do not require matters to be tried separately

CRIMINAL LAW – Preliminary applications – application for trial by judge order – evidence of bad character likely to lead to risk of prejudice in front of a jury and risk jury may reason impermissibly – risk adequately mitigated by appropriate directions – media coverage and nature of alleged crime no so egregious as to require judge alone trial provided appropriate directions are given – court should proceed on the basis that jury will comply with directions – balancing all factors, not in the interests of justice to make a trial by judge order Legislation Cited: Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) Cases Cited: Ali v The Queen [2005] HCA 8; (2005) 214 ALR 1 Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) v Farrugia [2017] NSWCCA 197 Fittock v The Queen (2003) 217 CLR 508; [2003] HCA 19 Gilbert v The Queen (2000) 201 CLR 414; [2000] HCA 15 Landsman v R (2014) 88 NSWLR 543; [2014] NSWCCA 328 Nader v R [2018] NSWCCA 256 R v Abu Hamza [2007] QB 659 R v Ahmed [2019] NSWSC 55 R v Belghar [2012] NSWCCA 86; 217 A Crim R 1 R v Dellapatrona (1993) 31 NSWLR 123 R v Fernando [1999] NSWCCA 66 R v Jamal (2008) 72 NSWLR 258; [2008] NSWCCA 177 R v Kearnes; R v Paton [2013] NSWSC 1139 R v McNeil [2015] NSWSC 357 R v Middis (NSWSC, 27 March 1991, unrep) R v Oliver (1984) 57 ALR 543 R v Pham [2004] NSWCCA 190 R v Poynton (No. 3) [2017] NSWSC 1772 R v Qaumi (No 3) [2016] NSWSC 15 R v Qaumi (No 14) [2016] NSWSC 274 Redman v R [2015] NSWCCA 110 R v Rogerson; R v McNamara (No 3) [2015] NSWSC 965 R v Stanley [2013] NSWCCA 124 R v Villalon [2013] NSWSC 1516 RFK v R [2016] NSWCCA 116 R v Simmons; R v Moore (No 4) [2015] NSWSC 259 Webb and Hay v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 41; [1994] HCA 30 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Regina Robert John Stewart McCloskey Sami Esko Hamalainen Representation: Counsel: C Taylor (Crown) G Brady SC (Hamalainen) D McMahon and C-F Vulpeanu (McCloskey)