R v Da Silva
[2016] NSWSC 1214
At a glance
Source factsCourt
Supreme Court of NSW
Decision date
2016-08-25
Before
Harrison J
Catchwords
- (1997) 90 A Crim R 587 Markarian v R (2005) 228 CLR 357
- [2005] HCA 25 Muldrock v R (2011) 244 CLR 120
- R v Patsalis (2001) 107 A Crim R 432
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Catchwords
Judgment (12 paragraphs)
remarks on sentence
- HIS HONOUR: Amanda Carter died from severe head and facial trauma in the early hours of 16 May 2010 at her home in Woongarrah on the New South Wales Central Coast. She had been subjected to a ferocious and sustained attack by Ricardo Da Silva who beat her to death with a blunt object as she lay asleep in her bed. Ms Carter had for a time been in an intimate relationship with Mr Da Silva that had ended some months before her death. Mr Da Silva was arrested on 30 November 2013 and charged with her murder. He has remained in custody since that time. On 7 June 2016, Mr Da Silva was found guilty of Ms Carter's murder by a jury following a six week trial.
- The offence of murder carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. In the event that a determinate sentence is imposed, a standard non-parole period of 20 years applies. In proceeding to determine the appropriate sentence, I am not required to commence by considering whether there are reasons for not imposing the standard non-parole period. Similarly, I am not required to make an assessment of whether or not the offence is within the mid-range of objective seriousness (see Muldrock v R (2011) 244 CLR 120; [2011] HCA 39 at [25]). The relevant statutory provisions generally, and the provisions of ss 54B(2) and (3) and 21A of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 in particular, require an approach to sentencing in which all of the relevant factors are identified, and a judgment is reached as to the appropriate sentence having regard to such factors (see Muldrock at [26], citing Markarian v R (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 at [51]). The standard non-parole period for the offence of murder requires that content be given to its specification as the "non-parole period for an offence in the middle of the range of objective seriousness". It represents the non-parole period for a hypothetical offence in the middle of the range of objective seriousness, without regard to the range of factors, both aggravating and mitigating, that bear relevantly on sentencing in an individual case (see Muldrock at [27] and [31]).