R v Kerrie-Ellen Robyn Knight
[2005] NSWCCA 253
At a glance
Source factsCourt
Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW)
Decision date
2005-03-21
Before
Mason P, Barr J, Johnson J, Mr P
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Judgment (43 paragraphs)
The Applicant's Subjective Circumstances 51 The Applicant was born on 20 July 1976. She was aged 25-26 years at the time of the commission of the offences and was 27 years old at the time of sentence in the District Court. 52 The Applicant's criminal record included fines for possession of a prohibited drug (cannabis leaf) and for receiving stolen property in the Armidale Children's Court in 1994 and 1995 respectively. In July 1995, she appeared before the Tamworth Local Court upon a charge of stealing and was ordered to perform 75 hours community service. In October 1998, she was fined and disqualified by the Tamworth Local Court for offences of driving whilst disqualified and driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle. On 16 September 2002, the Applicant was fined in the Armidale Local Court the sum of $250.00 for possession of a prohibited drug. As has been mentioned, the Applicant appeared before the Armidale Local Court on 3 February 2003 and was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond and was ordered to perform 80 hours community service with respect to three counts of goods in custody. 53 The Applicant's evidence in the sentencing proceedings, and a pre-sentence report dated 6 February 2004 which was tendered in the proceedings revealed that the Applicant was born and raised in country areas of New South Wales and was the younger of two girls. Due to her father's employment, the family moved regularly until the Applicant's parents separated when she was 12 years of age. The Applicant and her sister remained with their mother who moved to Armidale in 1990 to undertake tertiary education. 54 The Applicant left school in 1990 whilst in Year 9 at Armidale High School. At the age of 15, she began a relationship with the father of her first child (a girl born on 4 January 1995) which ended at about the time the child was born. The Applicant subsequently met and married the father of her second child (a boy born on 3 September 1996), however, the relationship ended in 1997. Following the Applicant's incarceration in July 2003, both children were placed in the care of their respective fathers and their families. 55 The Applicant has little employment history and has not worked since the birth of her first child. At the time of the commission of the offences, the Applicant was on a sole parent's pension and also received maintenance for her children who, at that time, were living with her. 56 In her evidence, the Applicant recounted a history of drug use including cannabis use since her high school days and amphetamine use from about March 2000 to May 2003. 57 The pre-sentence report of Ms Marilyn Miller dated 6 February 2004 included the following statement: "Although presenting as intelligent and with good literary skills despite her lack of formal education, the offender appears to have used this intellectual capacity in a negative way, with a history of meeting her needs through manipulation and dishonesty, and having little consideration for her responsibilities to her children and family or the wider community." 58 The evidence before the District Court revealed that the subject offences were committed by the Applicant and a number of co-offenders, Jason Irvine, Jeffrey Scott and Morgan Lay. These persons were associates of the Applicant over a number of years. Mr Irvine had been in a relationship with her, initially for a two-year period from March 1999 and then again for a period commencing in July 2002. Mr Lay and Mr Scott had boarded during 2002 in premises in Uralla which the Applicant had purchased from her mother. The Applicant purchased these premises in January 2001, but sold them in December 2002 and moved to Armidale. 59 In January 2003, during an argument with Jason Irvine, the Applicant sustained an injury which has left her with leg and back pain. 60 A number of references were tendered in the Applicant's case in the District Court. The referees included the Applicant's mother, sister and stepfather. The Applicant's mother and stepfather have resided in the United States of America since 1996. The Applicant's sister, who resides in Coffs Harbour, has been visiting her in prison and has expressed a willingness to assist the Applicant with accommodation upon her release from custody.