State of New South Wales v White
[2024] NSWSC 1600
At a glance
Source factsCourt
Supreme Court of NSW
Decision date
2024-12-05
Before
Hamill J, McNaughton J
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Judgment (20 paragraphs)
JUDGMENT
- By an amended summons filed in court this morning, but provided to my Associate informally two days ago, the State of New South Wales seeks orders pursuant to the Crimes (High Risk Offenders) Act 2006 (NSW) ("the Act"). The proceedings were commenced by summons filed on 19 September 2024 and McNaughton J made a pseudonym order relating to the defendant's name on 26 September 2024. Without meaning to depersonalise him or losing sight of the infringement on his personal freedoms inherent in the orders sought by the State, and noting that Mr White is not his name, I will call him the defendant.
- The matter was listed last Thursday 5 December 2024 for a preliminary hearing pursuant to s 7(3) of the Act. The State sought an order under s 7(4) appointing two experts (psychologists or psychiatrists) to examine the defendant and provide reports for the final hearing as well as an order directing the defendant to attend those examinations. The defendant, who is represented by Mr Ng of counsel, did not contest the making of those orders. The State also sought an order under s 10A subjecting the defendant to an interim supervision order ("ISO") with around 50 conditions, for a period of 28 days commencing 20 January 2025. The defendant did not dispute that it is open to the Court to conclude that an ISO should be made but argued that several of the conditions are unnecessary or inappropriate.
- The summons was supported by four affidavits, three affirmed by Johanna Fisher on 19 September 2024, 8 November 2024 and 29 November 2024, and the fourth affirmed by Jessie Slattery-McDonald on 29 November 2024. These included annexures and exhibits which were, along with agreed facts and written submissions, compiled in a mischievously styled "Judges Working Folder". [1] The defendant relied on some affidavits affirmed by his solicitor and an affidavit of his tutor who was appointed pursuant to a guardianship order.
- Putting to one side the written submissions, the material in the Judge's working folder(s) constitutes the "supporting documentation" for the purpose of ss 7(4), 7(5) and 10A(b) of the Act. Without being exhaustive it includes court papers, sentencing judgments, psychiatric, psychological, medical and risk assessment reports, case notes and the like, as well as material relating to the defendant's interaction with those administering his National Disability Insurance Scheme ("NDIS"). The defendant's material includes reference to the guardianship order and a behaviour intervention support plan in place until September 2025.