Ground 3: The sentencing judge erred in his approach to the applicant's psychiatric condition
52The central submission made on behalf of the applicant as noted above, was that the sentencing judge erred in failing to take into account the expert evidence in respect of the applicant's psychiatric condition when assessing:
(1) The objective seriousness of the offence; and
(2) The impact that a custodial sentence would have upon him.
53It is a well established sentencing principle that mental illness or intellectual/psychological disability is a relevant factor in sentencing an offender. Firstly, it is relevant to the question of the culpability of the offender. Secondly, it may render an offender an inappropriate vehicle for general deterrence and moderate that consideration. Thirdly, a custodial sentence may weigh more heavily on a mentally ill person: R v Hemsley [2004] NSWCCA 228 at [33]-[35].
54In R v Israil [2002] NSWCCA 255 at [23], Chief Justice Spigelman observed:
"To the extent that mental illness explains the offence - as her Honour found to be the position in the present case - then an offender's inability to understand the wrongfulness of his actions, or to make reasonable judgments, or to control his or her faculties and emotions, will impact on the level of culpability of the offender, even where the illness does not amount to an excuse at law ..."
See also R v George (2004) 149 A Crim R 38 at [41].
55In evaluating the offence, the sentencing judge was required to assess all relevant objective and subjective factors. The evidence before his Honour included the report of Dr Christopher Canaris, Consultant Psychiatrist, dated 20 January 2013.
56In addition, the report of Mr Mark Milic, Clinical & Forensic Psychologist, dated 18 June 2013 was tendered in evidence.
57Dr Canaris carried out a detailed history of the applicant and carried out a mental state examination of him. He stated that there was no evidence of psychosis or of organic brain syndrome but concluded and diagnosed that the applicant suffered from Asperger's syndrome. He also noted in his report that the applicant had been burdened by moderate to severe generalised anxiety disorder with panic attacks, which he said seemed to have been a long-standing condition. Dr Canaris noted that patients with Asperger's syndrome frequently suffer comorbid conditions including anxiety disorders.
58Dr Canaris observed:
"His anxiety disorder seems to have caused him significant problems in the recent past and I note that he is portrayed in the documentation as a tense and hypervigilant individual who prior to the incident in question had been reported to be sleeping poorly and reported as feeling sad, empty and hopeless." (at p 7)
59Dr Canaris noted that the applicant described the attack upon the victim as being as if he was:
"... outside his body at the time of the attack suggesting a dissociative element at the time in question. I note that he volunteered this information without giving it undue emphasis suggesting an untutored account." (at p 7)
60Dr Canaris proceeded to explain the dissociation. He considered that the applicant's difficulties with reading body language would very likely have contributed to his perception that the mini bus driver was threatening. He noted that his concurrent anxiety and sensitivity to noise would have added to his distress when the driver sounded his horn.
61Dr Canaris explained that whilst he described the applicant's fears as irrational, it suggested a misinterpretation of his situation and observed that he seems to have responded "... very excessively in a reflexive manner to a threat which (if at all present) [was] far less than he thought ...": at p 7.
62Finally, Dr Canaris predicted that the applicant's capacity to survive a custodial sentence was extremely limited. He considered that he would be at extreme risk in custody from inmates and would find it difficult to adjust to the demands of prison officers, particularly given his difficulties with correctly identifying implicit as opposed to explicit demands: at p 8.
63It is clear that although the sentencing judge had regard to the applicant's medical condition in relation to the issue of general deterrence, his Honour did not give effect to the medical evidence in assessing the objective seriousness of the offence in light of the principles to which I have earlier referred and, in particular, as stated by the then Chief Justice in R v Hemsley.
64Mr Mark Milic, Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, in his report dated 18 June 2013 set out a detailed history, the results of psychometric assessment and details concerning the applicant's progress in psychotherapy sessions conducted between January and May 2013.
65Mr Milic included in his report:
"Mr Leung's social skills deficits and personality style, which are most likely due to autism spectrum disorder, left him vulnerable to developing an anxiety and interpersonal problems. In particular, deficits in assertive skills left Mr Leung vulnerable to a pattern of passive acceptance of interpersonal frustration leading to a build-up of tension which is followed by an aggressive outburst." (at p 12)
66Mr Milic expressed the opinion that the offences committed by the applicant appeared to be incongruous with his otherwise pro-social character and were most likely triggered by his mental health conditions. He noted that due to his autism spectrum disorder the applicant has struggled to communicate assertively and understand people's motivations. That deficit was exacerbated, he considered, by high levels of chronic anxiety.
67I am of the opinion that appellable error has been established in terms of Ground 3 of the Grounds of Appeal. The medical opinion of Dr Canaris and the psychological assessment of Mr Milic both establish a clear contribution or causal association between the commission of the reckless wounding offence and the applicant's Asperger's syndrome aggravated as it was by his diagnosed anxiety disorder. The attack upon the victim plainly was completely out of character with his pre-offending history and was a major contributing factor to the reckless wounding offence under s 35(4) of the Crimes Act.
68Whilst the sentencing judge took the applicant's medical condition into account on the question of general deterrence, he did not give effect to the medical evidence on the issue of causation and its significance in terms of its relevance to the moral culpability of the applicant. The medical evidence clearly established that his out-of-character and bizarre behaviour had its explanation in his impaired judgment and his ability to control his faculties and emotions. Furthermore, given the medical evidence (see [81] below) appropriate allowance had to be given to the additional hardship, in the prison context, likely to result from the applicant's mental condition.
69In those circumstances, the sentence imposed for the reckless wounding offence must be set aside and the applicant re-sentenced.
70The conclusion which I have expressed in relation to Ground 3 makes it unnecessary for me to determine Grounds 1, 2(ii) and 4.
71In relation to Ground 5, it was submitted to the sentencing judge that a sentence other than a term of imprisonment was the only appropriate one for the reckless wounding offence. The submission to his Honour was that an intensive correction order or suspended sentence was appropriate. In any event, given the serious nature of the offence, I am not satisfied that there existed an alternative to a term of imprisonment.
72Whilst in relation to Grounds 2(i) and 5, the sentencing judge did not err in concluding that a custodial sentence should be imposed in respect of the reckless wounding offence, that is not the case in respect of the prohibited weapons offence.
73The finding made by the sentencing judge in respect of the latter offence was that the nature of the weapon was such that it fell at the low end of the scale of weapons to which the legislation applied. That finding, with respect, was clearly correct. The offence, on the facts of this case, standing alone, is one that would normally be expected to be prosecuted in the Local Court and for such an offence a custodial sentence would be most unlikely. In other words, for that offence I consider there was an alternative to the imposition of a term of imprisonment, which is a matter I will deal with in relation to re-sentencing.
74However, in the circumstances, both the reckless wounding offence and the prohibited weapons offence having been related by reason of the factual circumstances of the case, the applicant was understandably prosecuted in the District Court.
75Section 5(1) of the Sentencing Act provides that:
"A court must not sentence an offender to imprisonment unless it is satisfied, having considered all possible alternatives, that no penalty other than imprisonment is appropriate."
76It is not apparent from the Remarks on Sentence that his Honour gave any particular consideration to possible alternatives other than a custodial sentence for the prohibited weapons offence.
77I accept the submission on behalf of the applicant that there is a significant overlap between the two offences in question and that, at least to a significant extent, the prohibited weapons offence was largely subsumed within the reckless wounding offence.
78I consider in all the circumstances that a sentence of 12 months imprisonment for the offence under s 7(1) of the Weapons Prohibition Act was manifestly excessive even allowing for the fact that the sentence was only accumulated by a period of 3 months on the sentence for the offence under s 35(4) of the Crimes Act. The sentence for the prohibited weapons offence should be quashed and set aside.