R v Fadi Shamoun

THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE OFFENDING 19For the purposes of determining an appropriate sentence, I am required to make findings of fact in relation to the circumstances of the offending. Any factual findings I make must be consistent with the jury's verdicts. In particular, I must accept such facts as are established by those verdicts, and I must not determine any factual issue in a way which is inconsistent with them (see R v Isaacs (1997) 41 NSWLR 374). The Crown bears the onus of satisfying me, beyond reasonable doubt, of any finding of fact against the offender. The offender bears the onus of proving factual matters in mitigation, on the balance of probabilities. 20There are two particular factual issues which emerged in the course of hearing evidence and submissions on sentence. Leaving aside those issues, which are more fully dealt with later in this judgment, I find the circumstances of the offending to be as I have set out below. In reaching those findings it has been necessary, in order to put the offender's conduct in context, to make some brief references to the Crown case against the co-offender. However, I make no findings in respect of the co-offender's alleged conduct. 21At the time of his death in June 2007 the deceased lived with his wife at Castle Hill. He operated a business known as "Water Features Australia" which specialised in the installation and maintenance of water features of various kinds, including fountains and ponds. 22It was not in dispute that the deceased had once worked for the co-offender, and that he had left his employment in acrimonious circumstances before setting up a business which was in some ways similar to, and thus partly in competition with, that conducted by the co-offender. The Crown case was that the co-offender, motivated by the circumstances in which his association with the deceased had previously ended, wanted the deceased harmed. The Crown alleged that the co-offender was introduced to Saad through two third parties, Andrew Maatouk ("Maatouk") and Robert Wakim ("Wakim") and that he (the co-offender) requested Saad to assist him in having the deceased harmed. The Crown alleged that, in turn, Saad had enlisted the assistance of the offender to help carry out the co-offender's request. 23In the early hours of Sunday 24 June 2007, the offender travelled with Saad, in Saad's vehicle, to Castle Hill. The offender and Saad were the only two persons present in the vehicle at that time. 24At about 3:50am, having arrived in the vicinity of the deceased's premises, the offender got out of Saad's vehicle. Saad remained in the driver's seat. The offender then approached the deceased's premises and entered them. He was on his own, and he forced entry through a rear door, breaking a lock and chain which were attached to it. He was in possession of a knife at the time. 25The offender's attendance at, and entry into, the deceased's premises on the morning of 24 June 2007 had come about as a result of the circumstances I have previously described. It was not the Crown case that Saad had requested that the offender kill the deceased, nor was it suggested by the Crown that the original request of the co-offender to Saad was couched in that way. However, the evidence as to the precise terms of the request varied somewhat. There were references in the evidence to a request that the deceased be "taught a lesson", that he be "bashed", that he be "scared", and that he be "hurt". In the course of submissions the term "rough up" was also used. The evidence does not enable me to make a finding as to the precise terms of the request which was made. However, I find that such request was one that the deceased be injured in some serious and significant way. 26Shortly after the offender entered the deceased's premises, the deceased and his wife awoke, having heard a noise inside the house. Whilst the house was still in darkness, the offender appeared at the door of the deceased's bedroom. He entered the bedroom and came to the side of the bed on which the deceased had been sleeping. The deceased's wife gave evidence, which I unreservedly accept, that the offender then began "beating" on the deceased's body and "bashing" him. The deceased's wife did not assert that the offender used a knife at that stage. However, I find that the offender's attack upon the deceased was unprovoked, and that the deceased was unarmed. The deceased's wife did not hear the offender say anything at the time. She agreed that the offender did not ask for money, and that nothing was taken from the premises. 27The deceased's wife fled from the bedroom and out into the street. I am satisfied that in the course of doing so, she suffered a laceration to her right wrist, that being the injury relied upon by the Crown in respect of the count of malicious wounding of which the offender was also found guilty. Although she gave evidence about sustaining a fracture of the ankle as she fled the house, no aspect of that injury was relied upon by the Crown in support of the count of malicious wounding. 28The evidence does not permit me to make any finding as to precisely how the deceased's wife sustained the injury to her wrist. She herself gave no evidence about the injury and a police officer who attended the scene could not recall it. The evidence was limited to that of an ambulance officer who recalled treating the injury at the scene. He gave no evidence of the precise nature or severity of the injury, other than to say that he had some recollection of there being blood. Accordingly, although the circumstances in which it was sustained were obviously traumatic, I find that the injury itself was relatively minor. There is no suggestion that it was inflicted with the knife of which the offender was in possession. 29Following his attack upon the deceased, the offender fled the premises and ran back to Saad's vehicle. Saad had remained in the driver's seat. Saad and the offender drove away from the area. Saad's vehicle was subsequently photographed by speed cameras in the nearby vicinity, at a time which was generally consistent with the time at which the deceased was attacked. 30Police and ambulance officers were called to the scene. The police found the deceased the lying on the floor of the bedroom. He had no signs of life at the time of their arrival, and this was confirmed a short time after by an ambulance officer. An examination of the inside of the premises revealed, amongst other things, a large amount of blood spatter on the walls, from which it was evident that a violent struggle had taken place between the offender and the deceased during the final moments of the deceased's life. I find that it was in the course of that struggle that the deceased sustained, as a result of the actions of the offender, a fatal wound some 13 cm deep, inflicted by the penetration of a knife through his back, which severed his pulmonary artery. The deceased's death resulted from the combination of a loss of blood and an associated collapse of his lung. 31The fatal wound was not the only wound suffered by the deceased in the course of the struggle with the offender. Dr Langlois, a Forensic Pathologist who gave evidence at the trial, detected a fracture of the deceased's fifth rib although he was not able to determine precisely how that was caused, other than to say that it was the result of some blunt force. I do find, however, that such injury was sustained in the course of the struggle to which I previously referred. 32There were other injuries sustained by the deceased in that struggle. Dr Langlois referred to some as being in the nature of a "cutting injury" (which he described as an injury which was greater in length than depth, and which was caused by a cutting or slashing type action) and others as being in the nature of a "stabbing injury" (which he described as an injury, the depth of which was greater than its length, and which was caused by a thrusting action). In addition to those injuries, grazes, bruising, abrasions and scratches were found upon the body of the deceased. 33Saad gave evidence that prior to his attendance with the offender at the deceased's premises in the early hours of 24 June 2007, he had gone there on three previous occasions. He said that on the first occasion he was on his own, and that on the third occasion he was "on his own probably". 34However, he gave evidence that on the second occasion on which he attended the deceased's premises prior to the murder the offender was with him, for the purpose of being able to identify the deceased's premises. He said that on this occasion, they were seated in his vehicle which was parked near the deceased's premises, and they left the area when another vehicle entered premises a short distance away. Two neighbours who returned to their home in their vehicle at approximately 10.30 pm on the night before the deceased's death each gave evidence of seeing a vehicle parked nearby when they arrived home. This leads me to conclude that it was Saad's vehicle that they observed on that evening. However, neither gave evidence of seeing two people in the vehicle at the time. Their evidence provides little or no support for Saad's assertion that the offender was present with him on that occasion. I am not satisfied that he was present at that time. 35In terms of the offence of murder the following are aggravating factors pursuant to the Sentencing Act: a. the offence involved the actual use of a weapon (s. 21A(2)(c)); b.it was committed in the home of the deceased (s. 21A(2)(eb)); c.it was part of a planned or organised criminal activity (s. 21A(2)(n)) in the sense that there was a plan to harm the deceased, albeit not a plan to murder him. 36The commission of the offence of malicious wounding did not involve the use of a weapon, nor did it involve any degree of planning. However, it was committed in the home shared by the deceased's wife which is an aggravating factor pursuant to s. 21A(2)(eb). 37On any view, the deceased's murder resulted from an attack upon him which was unprovoked and violent, which involved the use of a weapon, and which was committed within his home following a forced entry by the offender who was in possession of a knife. Given the time of the day at which the offence was committed, the offender must have realised the likelihood that the deceased would be asleep when he entered the premises, that he would therefore be taken by surprise, and that he would be unarmed. Members of the community are entitled to expect that within the confines of their own home, they will be safe from such attacks, particularly when they are perpetrated by persons with whom they are not even remotely acquainted, and whose intention is to do them serious harm.

FACTUAL ISSUES 38In the course of the submissions on sentence two principal factual issues emerged, namely: (1)whether the offender intended to kill the deceased, or whether he intended to inflict grievous bodily harm; and (2)whether the offender murdered the deceased for financial reward.

THE OFFENDER'S INTENTION 39The Crown case on the murder count was based upon an intention to kill the deceased, or alternatively an intention to inflict grievous bodily harm upon him. Even though the Crown did not allege that in enlisting the assistance of the offender Saad had requested that the deceased be killed, the Crown submitted that I would be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that by the time the offender fatally stabbed the deceased, he had formed an intention to kill him. 40In support of this submission, the Crown argued that it was evident from the jury's verdict that they had accepted the evidence that: a.Saad and the offender had gone to Castle Hill in the early hours of 24 June 2007; b.the offender had entered the deceased's premises; c.he had entered those premises on his own; d.he was in possession of a knife which was later used to fatally attack the deceased; and e.the deceased had sustained multiple injuries, including "many stabs". 41In response, Mr Stratton submitted that: a.on the Crown's own case, there was no request to kill the deceased, but a request to inflict grievous bodily harm; b.the attack upon, and death of, the deceased occurred in darkness, following a struggle; and c.the darkness was significant because it tended against a finding that there were direct and aimed blows by the offender, with a knife, in conditions of clear visibility. 42Mr Stratton conceded that there was evidence upon which I could be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the offender intended to inflict grievous bodily harm upon the deceased. He submitted that such a finding would be consistent with the jury's verdict in view of the alternative bases on which the Crown put the case to the jury. 43In my view, the principal matters relied upon by the Crown in support of its submission that the offender formed an intention to kill are equally consistent with an intention on the part of the offender to inflict grievous bodily harm. The fact that the offender went to Castle Hill, that he entered the deceased's house, that he did so on his own and that he was in possession of a knife are not, particularly in view of the Crown case as to the terms of the original request by Saad, matters which specifically point to the offender having formed an intention to kill. 44I have carefully considered the evidence of Dr Langlois. It is self evident that one particular injury sustained by the deceased was fatal. Others, whilst not fatal, were obviously serious, some more so than others. The injuries are certainly consistent with a struggle having taken place between the offender and the deceased. However, I am not satisfied that those injuries, either of themselves or in combination with the other matters relied upon by the Crown, establish beyond reasonable doubt that the offender formed an intention to kill the deceased. 45Similarly, the fact that a violent struggle obviously took place is not something which, in my view, points specifically in favour of a conclusion that the offender had formed an intention to kill. This is particularly so when the struggle took place in darkness and where there is no evidence of, as Mr Stratton put it, "aimed blows in conditions of visibility". 46Accordingly, I find that at the time of the murder, the offender did not intend to kill the deceased, but intended to inflict grievous bodily harm upon him.

Did the offender commit the murder for reward? 47According to Saad, the offender agreed to become involved when first approached, and said to Saad words to the effect "give (him) a price and we'll do it". Saad gave evidence that he subsequently gave a figure to Maatouk of what he (Saad) wanted to be paid. Saad initially gave evidence that he could not recall the exact amount he had stipulated, but that it "probably would have been over 50", a reference to a sum of $50,000.00. He subsequently gave evidence that Maatouk had reverted to him at some later stage and told him that he (Maatouk) would pay "around 30 thousand". When cross examined, Saad agreed that in the course of his statements to the police, and his evidence at a committal hearing, he had made no reference to a figure of $50,000.00, and that the first mention of this figure was in his evidence in chief at the trial. 48Saad also gave evidence that following the deceased's murder, he spoke with Maatouk about the question of payment and that two or three days after the murder he and Maatouk met at Milperra, at which time he was given a paper bag by Maatouk containing "about 15 grand". That, according to Saad, was the offender's share of the payment, which he said he delivered to the offender on the same day at a building site in Parramatta. Some of this evidence was not consistent with what Saad had previously said to others. In particular, he had told police that he received an amount of money two weeks after the deceased's murder (as opposed to 2 or 3 days), and that the amount given to him on that occasion was between $15,000.00 and $20,000.00. 49Maatouk gave evidence that he had handed Saad an amount of $30,000.00 at Milperra, not in a paper bag but in a cardboard cylinder. When asked whether or not the amount of money could have been considerably less, and closer to a sum of $15,000.00, Maatouk firstly said he did not know and then said he was not sure. Wakim gave evidence that he had given the money to Maatouk and that the amount was in fact $40,000.00. 50The offender's former employer gave evidence that he recalled an occasion between January and March of 2007 (some months prior to the murder) on which he saw Saad at a building site in Parramatta where the offender was working at the time. His evidence was that he did not see Saad hand the offender a package on that occasion. 51The Crown accepted that the payment of money to the offender was not an element of the offence of murder, and was therefore not a finding which the jury must necessarily have reached in order to return the verdict of guilty. Nevertheless, the Crown submitted I should find, beyond reasonable doubt, that the offender committed the offence of murder for reward. Such a conclusion, the Crown submitted, was a matter of common sense. 52The Crown also submitted that payment for the crime was an important part of the case against the offender, such that it would follow, in light of the jury's verdict, that the jury must have accepted Saad's evidence in relation to it. As to the inconsistencies in the evidence, the Crown went so far as to say that he was "not suggesting for one minute" that the evidence of Wakim and Maatouk on the subject of payment "was satisfactory evidence". As to that submission, I need only observe that evidence which is accepted by the Crown as being unsatisfactory is hardly a sound basis, even in part, upon which to reach a conclusion beyond reasonable doubt. 53The Crown did not urge that I should find that this was a contract killing in the sense of one person having agreed, for money, to kill another. He acknowledged that this was not established by the evidence, nor was it the Crown case. However, the Crown submitted that if I was to find beyond reasonable doubt that the offender did receive payment, the circumstances were not substantially removed from those of a contract killing. Offences of that kind, he submitted, had consistently been regarded as falling within the upper range of objective seriousness. 54Mr Stratton submitted that the evidence did not support a finding that the offender acted for reward. He relied on the fact that Saad's evidence was contradicted not only by the evidence of other witnesses, but also by his own previous statements to police. He submitted that apart from Saad, there was no evidence of money being handed to the offender. He also pointed specifically to the fact there was no objective evidence, such as bank deposits or the offender otherwise being in possession of large amounts of cash, which might support the proposition that he was paid money. 55Mr Stratton's submission was that the more likely scenario was that Saad had taken advantage of the offender's limited intelligence to have him do what he, Saad, was in fact being paid to do. He submitted that the fact that the original request was to "rough up", or hurt, the deceased, made it more likely that the offender was not expecting to be paid for it. Mr Stratton also submitted that the relevant "hierarchy" as between Saad and the offender, was such that Saad was responsible for directing matters. This, he submitted, further supported a finding that Saad took advantage of the offender. 56The verdicts of the jury necessarily mean that despite the attack upon Saad's credit, his evidence as to the events of the early morning of 24 June 2007 was accepted. However, the Crown has acknowledged that the payment of money to the offender was not an element of the offence of murder. Accordingly, a finding that the offender was paid money was not a finding which was essential to the jury's verdict of guilty on that count. 57Some aspects of Saad's evidence on the topic of money were vague and imprecise; other aspects were inconsistent with what he had told the police; yet other aspects were inconsistent with the evidence of other Crown witnesses. On the whole, I found Saad's evidence on the topic of payment of money to be most unsatisfactory. 58The Crown's submission that I should find that the offender acted for reward because payment for the crime was an important part of the case against him must be assessed having regard to the conduct of the case as a whole. The Crown opened to the jury on the basis that the offender's motive was the payment of money. However, the Crown Prosecutor's final address to the jury, although it contained reference to the evidence as to payment, was bereft of any reference to the suggestion that the offender was motivated by money. That circumstance does not sit entirely comfortably with the submission that the issue of payment to the offender formed an important part of the Crown case. 59Further, the fact that the jury obviously accepted important parts of Saad's evidence does not mean that they accepted his evidence in its entirety. Specifically, the fact that the jury concluded that the offender murdered the deceased does not lead to the conclusion that they also found that he was paid for so doing. Whilst I accept the Crown's submission that it is not open to a sentencing judge to make findings of fact contrary to the verdict of the jury, a conclusion that I am not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the offender was paid would not, in my view, be one which was inconsistent with the jury's verdict. 60For these reasons, and whilst there is obviously considerable suspicion attaching to this issue, I am not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the offender, in killing the deceased, did so for reward. However, I am equally not satisfied on balance, as Mr Stratton urged, that the more likely scenario was that the offender had been prevailed upon by Saad who, in effect, took advantage of the offender's limited intelligence. To reach such a conclusion would involve an impermissible degree of speculation. 61Accordingly, the evidence simply does not enable me to make a specific finding in relation to this issue.

THE OFFENDER'S SUBJECTIVE CIRCUMSTANCES 62I turn then to consider the offender's subjective circumstances. The offender did not give evidence on sentence and the information as to his background which follows is extracted from the medical evidence, and in particular from the principal report of Dr Furst which was tendered in his case, and to which I have referred further below. 63The offender is currently 29 years of age having being born on 25 February 1983. He is the third born child of his parents, and has three brothers and one sister. He was born in Iraq and fled to Jordan, and then Syria, with his family, before migrating as a refugee to Australia when he was 21 years of age. His father was forced to enter the Iraqi army and the offender recalls the army arriving at his house and "grabbing his father". He was upset by those events, as his father was away from the family for several years. 64The offender left school when he was 10 or 11 years of age and appears to have had only limited education in Iraq. He did not attend school when he was living in Syria and worked as a plumber during that time. He worked in some capacity for a plumbing company after arriving in Australia. The history taken by Dr Furst from the offender was that he was unable to undertake an apprenticeship because of his poor literacy skills and the effects of a previous motorcycle accident. The offender also told Dr Furst that he had been unable to work after an accident in 2008, an event to which I have referred further below. 65Mr Stratton tendered, without objection by the Crown, a reference from Reverend Narsai Youkhanis from the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East. Reverend Youkhanis described the offender as being a helpful and faithful member of the Church community. He also described the offender's family as a well respected family in the Assyrian community, who played a substantial and positive role in the community's general affairs. 66The offender's criminal history is limited to a conviction in October 2006 by a Local Court for an offence of common assault for which he was fined. He therefore has no significant record of previous convictions which is a mitigating factor pursuant to s. 21A(3)(e) of the Sentencing Act. In addition, the fact that the injury caused by the offence of malicious wounding was not substantial (s. 21A(3)(a)), along with the fact that the commission of such offence was not part of a planned criminal activity (s. 21A(3)(b)) are mitigating factors in respect of that offence. 67The offender has shown no remorse for his actions. 68Much of the argument in respect of the offender's subjective case arose out of oral evidence given by Dr Richard Furst, along with the contents of three medical reports which were tendered in the offender's case, namely: (i)a report of Dr Bruce Westmore dated 16 January 2012; (ii)a report of Dr Richard Furst dated 30 May 2012 and; (iii)a further supplementary report of Dr Richard Furst dated 3 June 2012. 69Dr Westmore examined the offender on 16 January 2012, prior to the commencement of the trial, in order to determine the offender's fitness to plead. He obtained a history from the offender that he had suffered a head injury in a motorcycle accident, and another head injury when he had jumped from a balcony. At the time of his examination Dr Westmore had available to him a hospital discharge summary of 1 June 2008 which recorded that the offender had been diagnosed with a subdural haematoma following an earlier fall from a balcony, but that he was discharged on the same day as he presented. 70Dr Westmore found the offender fit to plead. He also found that the offender was not suffering from a major depressive disorder, and that no psychotic symptoms were identified. He concluded that although the offender was of dull or compromised intelligence, he was not mentally retarded. He found that a previous head injury, following a fall, had left the offender with "some traumatic brain damage". However, he found no evidence that the offender suffered from a confusional state, and also found that the offender did not appear to be distracted or suffering major problems with attention and concentration 71Dr Furst, also a Forensic Psychiatrist, examined the offender following the jury's verdict. Dr Furst's initial report is dated 30 May 2012 and a supplementary report is dated 3 June 2012. 72At the time of his examination of the offender Dr Furst (who had available to him the report of Dr Westmore) recorded a history, taken from the offender, that the offender was involved in a motorcycle accident in either 2005 or 2006, and that he was involved in a car accident in 2007. The history included the fact that the offender had jumped from a balcony in 2008 as a result of which he had memory problems, as well as a loss of taste and smell. Dr Furst understood that the offender had literacy problems before the accident in 2008. 73Dr Furst concluded that the offender had evidence of cognitive impairment and reported that although he did not have results of formal neuropsychological testing available, the offender's presentation was in keeping with having a significant acquired brain injury. This, he said, had produced cognitive defects which were also significant. However, he found that the offender did not appear to be suffering from any major mental illness. 74Dr Furst's supplementary report of 3 June 2012 was the result of a request from the offender's solicitors that he address the issue of the offender's "future dangerousness". In this respect Dr Furst reported as follows: "Some of his protective factors include that he does not currently present with features of a mental illness, he is no longer abusing alcohol and other drugs, he is incarcerated, and he has evidence of significant cognitive impairment, which will make it harder for him to plan and organise himself in the future. His cognitive impairments may also act as an additional protective factor, as it appears to have led to social avoidance, meaning he may be les (sic) likely to associate with pro-criminal peers in the future. Dynamic factors that may improve over time are his attitudes, level of insight and impulsivity. His risk of future offending could also be reduced through engagement in a suitable program for his offending...Having regard to his psychiatric and social history, the offence in question, and his current mental state, I am of the opinion that his risk of future violent offending is moderate...He may well require additional support, structure and assistance when placed in the community which could lower the potential for future dangerousness." 75In the course of his oral evidence, Dr Furst agreed that there appeared to be only one occasion on which the offender had suffered a head injury which had been treated, namely the occasion on which he had been treated at Liverpool Hospital. For the purposes of arriving at his conclusions, Dr Furst proceeded upon the assumption that this incident gave rise to the traumatic brain injury which he diagnosed. 76Dr Furst also accepted that in order to determine the extent of any brain damage that might be suffered in such an incident, it was often the case that a neuropsychologist was engaged for the purposes of carrying out psychometric testing, but that this had not been done thus far in the case of the offender. He agreed that in order to obtain a more accurate assessment of the extent of any brain damage the offender would be required to undergo such testing. Importantly, Dr Furst also agreed that the fact the offender had been discharged on the same day as he presented to the hospital following the fall in 2008, as well as the fact that he required no intensive care treatment on that occasion, "probably meant" that the injury was not at the "severe end of the spectrum". 77At the conclusion of the evidence, Mr Stratton was granted leave to provide a report of any neuropsychological testing in relation to the offender. No such evidence has been forthcoming, and I am therefore left to determine the issues surrounding the offender's medical condition on the basis of the evidence I have set out above.

78Mr Stratton submitted that I should conclude that the offender suffers from a traumatic brain injury. Although he did not suggest that such injury was directly relevant to the commission of the offences of which the offender was found guilty, Mr Stratton submitted that as a consequence of this injury considerations of general deterrence should be afforded less weight. As to that submission, I have had regard to the principles set out In R v Henry (1999) 46 NSWLR 346 per Wood CJ at CL at 394; [253]. Mr Stratton further submitted that I should find special circumstances. 79The Crown submitted that on the whole of the evidence, whilst it would be open to find that the offender had a brain injury, I should conclude that such injury was not of any real severity or significance. He submitted that it was important that notwithstanding the fact that Dr Westmore had diagnosed a brain injury, he had also concluded that all of the relevant criteria as to fitness to plead had been satisfied. The Crown also placed some reliance upon the concession of Dr Furst that the absence of neuropsychological testing necessarily affected the accuracy of the assessment of the extent of the offender's brain damage, as well as his concession as to the proper inferences to be drawn from the hospital discharge summary in relation to the severity of the offender's brain injury. The Crown submitted that in these circumstances, general deterrence remained a relevant consideration, and one deserving of weight. He also submitted that there was nothing which would properly constitute special circumstances. 80Given the opinions of Drs Westmore and Furst I am satisfied that the offender has a brain injury. Both specialists reached that conclusion. The real issue concerns the severity of that injury, that being an issue in respect of which the opinions of the specialists differed. Unfortunately, I do not have the benefit of any results of psychometric testing which Dr Furst agreed would be beneficial in determining such issue. 81At the time of his examination in January of this year, Dr Westmore concluded (inter alia) that the offender did not appear to be distracted or suffering major problems with attention and concentration. Although he found that there was evidence of some traumatic brain damage, his observations as to the offender's presentation did not bespeak of a brain injury at the higher end of the scale. Consistent with these views, Dr Westmore concluded that the offender was fit to plead. Mr Stratton submitted that no inference could be drawn from that fact because the relevant criteria were applied at what he described as a "low threshold". I am unable to accept that submission. The fact is that less than six months ago, Dr Westmore was satisfied that the offender was able to (inter alia) understand the charge, plead to the charge, understand the nature of the proceedings, follow the course of those proceedings and understand the substantial effect of any evidence given against him (see generally R v Presser [1958] VR 45). 82Some months later Dr Furst concluded that the offender had difficulty (inter alia) maintaining attention during simple tasks. This, he concluded, was at least partly an indication of the offender having a significant acquired brain injury, which had produced similarly significant cognitive defects. Leaving aside the fact that these conclusions are at odds with Dr Westmore's opinion, I find it difficult to reconcile them with Dr Furst's concession in the course of cross examination that, based upon the contemporaneous medical evidence which is available, the injury sustained by the offender was not, as he himself put it, "in the severe end of the spectrum". 83For all of these reasons, whilst I am satisfied that the offender suffers from a traumatic brain injury, I am not satisfied that its significance is as reported by Dr Furst. On the whole of the evidence, I find that the offender's brain injury is not in the severe end of the range. 84Both Dr Westmore and Dr Furst concluded that the offender does not suffer from any mental illness. Further, on the basis of their opinions, there is no evidence that the offender suffers from any severe intellectual handicap. For the reasons I have previously expressed, I find that any cognitive deficit which has arisen as a consequence of the offender's brain injury is, commensurate with my earlier findings, not severe. For these reasons, I do not regard this as a case where considerations of general deterrence are totally outweighed by other factors. Although the offender's brain injury remains a matter to be taken into account in his subjective case on sentence, general deterrence remains a matter of importance. 85The evidence of Dr Furst is that the offender poses a "moderate" risk to the community in terms of future offending. He suggested that such risk could be reduced by, amongst other things, the offender engaging in a "suitable program", and also by the improvement, over a period of time, in dynamic factors such as his attitudes, levels of insight, and impulsivity. Dr Furst expressed no clear view about the likelihood of such improvement and there is no evidence before me that the offender has undergone, or that he intends to undergo, any program(s) of the kind Dr Furst had in mind. Whether there will be any improvement in those dynamic factors to which Dr Furst referred is largely speculative. In these circumstances I am unable to reach any firm conclusion as to the offender's prospects of rehabilitation. 86As to special circumstances, the authorities make it clear that circumstances which are not properly regarded as being "special" should not be elevated into that category (see R v Simpson (2001) 53 NSWLR 704 per Spigelman CJ at 719; [68]; R v Fidow [2004] NSWCCA 172 per Spigelman CJ at [20]). In order for special circumstances to be made out there must exist significant positive signs which show that, if the offender is allowed a longer period on parole, rehabilitation is likely to be successful, and not merely a possibility (see R v Carter [2003] NSWCCA 243 at [20]). On the evidence before me, I am not satisfied that this is the case and accordingly, I do not find special circumstances. The period in which the offender will be on parole will be significant in any event.

THE TOTAL SENTENCE 87The Crown did not submit that the circumstances of the present offence of murder fell into the worst category. However, he submitted that the level of heinousness was nevertheless very substantial and that it called for a sentence which reflected that fact. He submitted that the necessity to ensure the protection of the community, along with general deterrence, were factors which loomed large. He pointed to the fact that the offence was committed in the early hours of the morning, in a suburban house, whilst the deceased was asleep. 88Mr Stratton conceded that the offence of murder was obviously serious and I have dealt with his submissions in respect of various other matters which were in issue. 89Although the submissions of the parties concentrated on the offence of murder, the Crown submitted that the offence of malicious wounding of deceased's wife was nevertheless a serious offence committed against a separate victim, who had also been asleep in the house, and who was injured as a result of the offender's attack. In these circumstances he submitted that there should be a degree of accumulation in respect of the sentence imposed for that offence. Mr Stratton expressly conceded that there should be some degree of accumulation, although he submitted it should be small. 90As the offender is to be sentenced for more than one offence, I have had regard to the principles of totality (see Pearce v R (1998) 194 CLR 610). In light of the submissions of the parties, I have concluded that there should be partial accumulation of the sentences imposed, to the extent of 3 months, to reflect those principles. The offender has been in custody since the date of his arrest on 4 March 2009 and the sentences I impose will be backdated to commence on that date. 91Fadi Shamoun I sentence you as follows: (i) In respect of the offence of the murder of Richard Carruthers you are sentenced to a non-parole period of 20 years imprisonment commencing on 4 June 2009 and ending on 3 June 2029, with an additional term of 7 years imprisonment, commencing on 4 June 2029 and ending on 3 June 2036, a total term of 27 years imprisonment. (ii) In respect of the offence of maliciously wounding Phuong Carruthers, you are sentenced to a non parole period of 9 months imprisonment, commencing on 4 June 2009 and ending on 3 March 2010, with an additional term of 3 months imprisonment, commencing on 4 March 2010 and ending on 3 June 2010, a total term of 12 months imprisonment. (iii) You will be obliged to serve a total non-parole period of 20 years and 3 months imprisonment, commencing on 4 June 2009 and ending on 3 September 2029. (iv) You will be eligible for release on parole on 4 September 2029 and your sentence will expire on 3 June 2036.

Amendment 29 June 2012 Paragraph 91 "will expire on 3 September 2036" amended to read "will expire on 3 June 2036" Cover sheet - orders amended as per amendment in 91. DISCLAIMER - Every effort has been made to comply with suppression orders or statutory provisions prohibiting publication that may apply to this judgment or decision. The onus remains on any person using material in the judgment or decision to ensure that the intended use of that material does not breach any such order or provision. Further enquiries may be directed to the Registry of the Court or Tribunal in which it was generated. Decision last updated: 29 June 2012