The Queen v Lane, Paul Gregory [1995] FCA 1184

Federal Court of Australia|1995-02-17|Before: Gallop J, Lockhart J

BETWEEN: THE QUEEN Applicant AND: PAUL GREGORY LANE S Respondent x 17 FEBRUARY 1995 REASONS FOR JUDGMENT LOCKHART J.

This is an application by the Crown for leave to appeal from the judgment of Gallop J. of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory, given on 25 November 1994. The Crown, in fact, filed a notice of appeal within time from his Honour's judgment, but on further reflection it decided to file this application for leave to appeal lest the judgment of

That application for leave to appeal was thus filed out of time. The application for leave to extend the time is not opposed. In any event, it seems to me that in all the circumstances which I have related, it is an appropriate case in which to allow an extension of time for filing the application. Accordingly, the court orders that the Crown be granted leave to file its application for leave to appeal out of time, provided it is filed by 30 January 1995. The court

deems the application for leave to appeal that was filed on

that date to be the application for leave to appeal.

That then raises the question of whether or not the court should accede to the application for leave to appeal. It is not opposed by the respondent. The question of whether Gallop J.'s order is interlocutory is indeed a nice one. His

Honour held that the trial of the respondent was a trial that

"The relevant delay was very substantial and there was really no satisfactory explanation for it." He dealt with certain other matters which are recorded at pages 26 and 27 of the transcript of the proceedings before him. In the result his Honour (at page 27) made an order

permanently staying the prosecution of the indictment in the

As at present advised, in my view the order made by his Honour of permanently staying the prosecution of the indictment is a final, not an interlocutory order. Leave to appeal is thus not necessary; but as the appeal will proceed to a hearing by a Full Court, the order that I will make is that the Court grants leave to the Crown to appeal from the judgment of Gallop J. of 25 September 1994 in so far as the same may be necessary. It is a case which, in my view, is appropriate for the granting of leave in all the

Costs of the application to extend time, and costs of the

Counsel for the Respondent Date of Hearing 3 17 February 1995

appeal. I certify that this and the preceding two (2) pages are a true copy of the reasons for judgment herein of the Honourable Justice Lockhart. Associate Dated: 17 Febr

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Judgment (13 paragraphs)