R v Lahood [2019] NSWDC 646

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Lahood [2019] NSWDC 646 Hearing dates: 5 August 2019 Decision date: 07 August 2019 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Norrish QC DCJ Decision: Aggregate sentence 7 years imprisonment, non-parole period 4 years 6 months Catchwords: CRIME – Sentence – dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception – possess equipment to make identification documents – possess identification information - joint criminal enterprise – key member of criminal group – numerous stolen identities – created bank accounts, credit card accounts and personal loans in other people's names – on line applications over 2 year period – over $2 million in total - sophisticated operation – stole mail from mail boxes to create identities – possessed computer program capable of generating false documents – passports, bills, driver's licences – measuring totality of criminality – overlapping offences – previous offending with similar offences – support drug habit and lifestyle – drugs helped with pain relief and anxiety – successful completion of Drug Court program – current offending commenced 3 months after completion of program – possible "Conduct Disorder" or ADHD – aggravating factor – on conditional liberty – pleas of guilty – expressions of remorse – special circumstances – medium to high risk of re-offending. Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900; s 93T; s 192E(1)(b); s 192J; s 192K; s 192L; s 193B(2) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999; s.9; s 53A Cases Cited: Johnson v R (2004) 78 ALJR 616, Mill v R (1988) 166 CLR 59 Pearce v R [1998] 194 CLR 610 R v Hammoud (2000) 118 A Crim R 66 R v Holder [1983] 3 NSWLR 245 R v MMK (2006) 164 A Crim R 481 R v XX (2009) 195 A Crim R 38 Category: Sentence Parties: Regina (Crown) Joseph Lahood (offender) Representation: Counsel: Mr Ainsworth (offender)