R v Cattell [2019] NSWCCA 297

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: R v Cattell [2019] NSWCCA 297 Hearing dates: 20 November 2019 Date of orders: 17 December 2019 Decision date: 17 December 2019 Before: Hoeben CJ at CL at [1]; Price J at [2]; Campbell J at [191] Decision: (1) Crown appeal allowed.

(2) The aggregate sentence imposed in the District Court of New South Wales on 26 July 2019 is quashed.

(3) In lieu thereof, the respondent is sentenced to an aggregate term of imprisonment of 3 years commencing on 26 July 2019 and expiring on 25 July 2022 with a non-parole period of 18 months expiring on 25 January 2021. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – Crown appeal against inadequacy of aggregate sentence – historical child sexual assault offences – elderly respondent – whether manifestly inadequate – whether judge overlooked s 25AA(1) of Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act – sentence patterns and practices at time of sentence – importance of expressly stating an offender has been sentenced in accordance with ss 25AA(1) and (3) – delay – whether fairness to respondent has played a dominant role in sentence – error of principle – reason for delay in old sexual assault offences – totality – respondent previously sentenced for similar offences – purposes of totality principle – failure of sentence to reflect the respondent's conduct as a whole – non-parole period – double counting – whether residual discretion should be exercised – re-sentence – importance of general deterrence and denunciation – sentence increased. Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) ss 61E(1A), 61M(1), 66C(1), 81, 81A Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) ss 3A, 21A, 25AA(1), (3), (5), 44, 53A Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Amendment (Standard Minimum Sentencing) Act 2002 (NSW) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) s 5D Parole of Prisoners Act 1966 (NSW) Cases Cited: Bugmy v The Queen (2013) 249 CLR 571; [2013] HCA 37; 87 ALJR 1022; 302 ALR 192; 229 A Crim R 337 Bui v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (2012) 244 CLR 638; [2012] HCA 1; 86 ALJR 208; 284 ALR 445; 218 A Crim R 241 CMB v Attorney General for New South Wales (2015) 256 CLR 346; [2015] HCA 9; 89 ALJR 407; 317 ALR 308; 243 A Crim R 282; 151 ALD 8 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v Beattie [2017] NSWCCA 301; (2017) 270 A Crim R 556; 327 FLR 71 Green v The Queen; Quinn v The Queen (2011) 244 CLR 462; [2011] HCA 49; 86 ALJR 36; 283 ALR 1; 214 A Crim R 152 Hornhardt v R [2017] NSWCCA 186 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40; 10 ALJ 22; 10 ALJR 202; 55 ALR 499; 9 ABC 117 Magnuson v R [2013] NSWCCA 50 Mill v The Queen (1988) 166 CLR 59; [1988] HCA 70; 83 ALR 1; 36 A Crim R 468 Moon v R [2000] NSWCCA 534; (2006) 117 A Crim R 497 O'Sullivan v R [2019] NSWCCA 261 Porter v R [2019] NSWCCA 117 Postiglione v The Queen (1997) 189 CLR 295; [1997] HCA 26; 71 ALJR 875; 145 ALR 408; 94 A Crim R 397 R v Barker [2016] NSWCCA 193; (2016) 77 MVR 448 R v Fidow [2004] NSWCCA 172 R v GWM [2012] NSWCCA 240 R v MAK [2006] NSWCCA 381; (2006) 167 A Crim R 159 R v MJR (2002) 54 NSWLR 368; [2002] NSWCCA 129; 130 A Crim R 481 R v MMK [2006] NSWCCA 272; (2006) 164 A Crim R 481 R v Spiers [2008] NSWCCA 107 R v Todd [1982] 2 NSWLR 517 Vaovasa v R [2007] NSWCCA 253; (2007) 174 A Crim R 116 Texts Cited: Criminal Legislation Amendment (Child Sexual Abuse) Bill 2018 (NSW) Justice Peter McClellan AM, 'Seeking "Justice for Victims"' (Paper delivered to the Modern Prosecutor conference, 13 April 2017) New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 6 June 2018 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Criminal Justice Report, August 2017) Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Final Report, December 2017) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) (Appellant) Richard St John Cattell (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Ms E Wilkins SC (Appellant) Mr D Barrow (Respondent)