See also Inspector Jones v Challita and Anor [2006] NSWIRComm 207.
24 It is, therefore, an error not to identify the particular facts which are said to warrant a departure from the principle that specific deterrence should be taken into account in sentencing. The mere good corporate record of a defendant does not constitute a sufficient basis for such a departure.
25 It is well accepted that the fact that a defendant was a safety conscious employer and took steps both before and after the incident to ensure the safety of its employees will be considered as factors in favour of the defendant in sentencing. But this does not displace the obligation falling upon the Court to consider the question of specific deterrence. In WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Insp Robert Stobo) v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (2002) 115 IR 130, Walton J, Vice-President, considered the issue of deterrence and cited the Full Bench's comments in Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mayo-Ramsay) at [73] - [79]. His Honour then applied the principle of deterrence in the following way at [56] - [61]:
[56] It should be firstly recognised that the Court in Capral Aluminium (at [55] and [74]) rejected a contention by the then appellant that considerably less weight should have been given to deterrence due to its attempts, both before and after the incident, to ensure the safety of workers (including the provision of safety equipment) and the fact that the employer was a safety conscious employer. The Court found that both general and personal or specific deterrence were matters which should normally play a role in sentencing under the Act and that, although there are exceptional cases requiring a departure from that approach, they are rare (at [74]).
[57] Further, the Court considered that it was unlikely that the weight to be attached to specific deterrence could be reduced to zero in cases of offences under the Act. The primary feature that controlled the weight to be given to specific deterrence was the "propensity to re-offend", noting that the objective of specific deterrence is to deter the particular offender from repeating the offence (at [76] - [77]). The Court considered that for specific deterrence to be disregarded in the sentencing process, the offender would need to demonstrate the risk of re-offending was low or non-existent; be that because of demonstrated rehabilitation or because the offender would not have the opportunity to commit a similar offence in the future (at [77]).
[58] Where the offender continued to be an employer, the risk to safety of its employees or contractors may exist or be possible. Thus, the Court came to the view that in most cases it will be necessary to have regard to the need to encourage a sufficient level of diligence by the offender in the future by specific deterrence.
[59] It follows, in my view, that notwithstanding the somewhat strident steps taken by the defendant to ensure the occupational health and safety of its employees (to which I will return in relation to the subjective features of this matter), the penalty in this matter should reflect the need for specific deterrence. I note, in this respect, that the defendant continues to operate and maintain rail vehicles, albeit of a different type to those operated prior to the restructuring of its operations. Further, the evidence of both Mr May and Mr Henry make it clear that, whilst the defendant has in place comprehensive inspection systems on its passenger trains and has in place substantial training regimes for its employees, the defendant continues to operate as an employer of a significant number of people within this State, some of which are engaged in maintenance work on rail vehicles. The Court is not satisfied that there is no potential for the defendant to re-offend: Capral Aluminium at [77], R v MacDonnell (unreported, Court of Criminal Appeal, 8 December 1995). The matter does not fall within the class of exceptional cases identified in Capral Aluminium where specific deterrence is inappropriate.
[60] However, I consider, in accordance with the decision in Capral Aluminium (at [76]), any aspect of penalty providing for specific deterrence in this matter should feature less prominently than would otherwise have been the case, due to the significant re-evaluation of health and safety systems that have now been adopted by the defendant and, more broadly, the extensive restructuring of the defendant's operations. I am satisfied that the changes have resulted in a significantly lower risk of the defendant re-offending.
26 We accept that as the proper approach to this question, adopting as it does the principle established in Capral Aluminium.
27 Thirdly, we also agree that his Honour failed to give sufficient weight to the foreseeability of the risk in assessing the objective seriousness of the offence.
28 More generally, we are of the view that the sentences imposed were manifestly inadequate.