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[2019] WASC 386
Supreme Court of WA
2019-10-29
McGrath J
Original judgment source is linked above.
(1) Was Mr Daly mentally impaired at the time he did the act that caused the death of the deceased?
(2) If Mr Daly was mentally impaired at the relevant time, did his mental impairment deprive him of one of the capacities, relevantly, to know that he ought not to do the act or to control his actions?
(3) If so, does the defence of insanity not apply because Mr Daly intentionally caused himself to become intoxicated?
(1) The agreed statement of relevant events, the admissions made by Mr Daly pursuant to s 32 of the Evidence Act 1906 (WA) and the evidence received at trial.
(1) The deceased victim in relation to this matter is Mr Ian Michael Baz‑Bosch (Mr Baz-Bosch).
(2) On Saturday, 19 November 2016 at Coolbellup Mr Daly stabbed Mr Baz‑Bosch in the neck with a knife.
(3) That stab wound was the cause of Mr Baz‑Bosch's death.
(1) If an accused pleads not guilty to a charge on account of unsoundness of mind and the judge is satisfied ‑
(a) that the only fact in issue between the accused and the State is whether, under The Criminal Code section 27, the accused is not criminally responsible for an act or omission on account of unsoundness of mind; and
(b) that the prosecutor consents, and the accused does not object, to the judge doing so; and
(c) that it is in the interests of justice to do so,
(d) may decide the issue referred to in paragraph (a) on any evidence and in any manner the judge thinks just; and
(e) for that purpose, may ascertain any fact by the verdict of a jury or otherwise; and
(f) may find the accused not guilty of the charge on account of unsoundness of mind; and
(g) if such a finding is made and a jury has been sworn to give a verdict on the charge, must discharge the jury from giving its verdict on the charge.
(2) Subsection (1) is in addition to and does not affect the operation of section 146.
Clancy Watson leaves in her red car to pick her daughter Paula Daly up from rehab.
Ben Daly returns to Wella Court after the stabbing with his jacket over his arm.
Clancy Watson returns to Wella Court in her red car with Paula.
Ben Daly leaves 7 Wella Court carrying a small bag.
Ben Daly returns to 7 Wella Court, this time without the bag.
(1) A person is not criminally responsible for an act or omission on account of unsoundness of mind if at the time of doing the act or making the omission he is in such a state of mental impairment as to deprive him of capacity to understand what he is doing, or of capacity to control his actions, or of capacity to know that he ought not to do the act or make the omission.
(2) A person whose mind, at the time of his doing or omitting to do an act, is affected by delusions on some specific matter or matters, but who is not otherwise entitled to the benefit of subsection (1), is criminally responsible for the act or omission to the same extent as if the real state of things had been such as he was induced by the delusions to believe to exist.
(1) Section 27 applies to the case of a person whose mind is disordered by intoxication or stupefaction caused without intention on his part by drugs or intoxicating liquor, or by any other means.
(2) Section 27 does not apply to the case of a person who has intentionally caused himself to become intoxicated or stupefied, whether in order to afford excuse for the commission of an offence or not.
(3) When an intention to cause a specific result is an element of an offence, intoxication whether complete or partial, and whether intentional or unintentional, may be regarded for the purpose of ascertaining whether such an intention in fact existed.
The definition of 'mental illness' reflects some of the comments made by King CJ in Radford (1985) 20 A Crim R 388, 396 about the meaning of the expression 'disease of the mind' which is used in the common law of insanity. The then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia said:
(1) 'disease of the mind' is synonymous with 'mental illness';
(2) a temporary disorder or disturbance of an otherwise healthy mind caused by external factors is not properly regarded as a disease of the mind;
(3) major mental illness or psychoses such as schizophrenia are clearly diseases of the mind as are physical disease, such as psychomotor epilepsy and arteriosclerosis, when they affect the soundness of the mental faculties;
(4) disease of the mind is to be distinguished from 'mere excitability of a normal man, passion, even stupidity, obtuseness, lack of self‑control and impulsiveness'; and
(5) in order to constitute insanity in the eyes of the law, the malfunction of the mental faculties called 'defect of reason' in the M'Naughten rules, must result from an underlying pathological infirmity of the mind, be it of long or short duration and be it permanent or temporary, which can be properly termed mental illness, as distinct from the reaction of a healthy mind to extraordinary external stimuli'.
In R v Falconer [1990] HCA 49; (1990) 171 CLR 30, the High Court generally approved of King CJ's comments even in the context of the then Criminal Code provisions.
When Falconer was decided, the Code s 27 was differently worded. Section 27 was amended and the definition of mental impairment was inserted after Falconer was delivered. The subsequent amendments to the Code are consistent with King CJ's statement of principles in Radford, although the Code definition of 'mental impairment' is broader than that of 'disease of the mind' which was considered by King CJ. Nevertheless, acute intoxication with alcohol and for drugs is not a 'mental impairment'.
For it is evident that a jury although satisfied that no capacity existed in a particular accused to reason at all may think that at the back of it all was an awareness of the nature of the act and of the fact that other people might regard it as wrong more especially if that means regarded by the law as wrong. That would not lead to a conviction if the jury understands that, given a disease disorder or defect of reason, then it is enough if it so governed the faculties at the time of the commission of the act that the accused was incapable of reasoning with some moderate degree of calmness as to the wrongness of the act or of comprehending the nature or significance of the act of killing. See R v Davis (1881) 14 Cox CC 563, Stephen J, R v Kay (1904) 68 JP Jo 376, Stephen J. In R v Porter (1933) 55 CLR 1828 at pp 189, 190, this was expressed by Dixon J as follows:
'The question is whether he was able to appreciate the wrongness of the particular act he was doing at the particular time. Could this man be said to know in this sense whether his act was wrong if through a disease or defect or disorder of the mind he could not think rationally of the reasons which to ordinary people make that act right or wrong? If through the disordered condition of the mind he could not reason about the matter with a moderate degree of sense and composure it may be said that he could not know that what he was doing was wrong (footnotes omitted).'
'The incapacities to which s 27 refers include the incapacity to control actions whereas the M'Naghten Rules speak only of such a defect of reason 'as not to know the nature and quality of the act he was doing; or, if he did know it, that he did not know he was doing what was wrong.' The explanation for the inclusion of the incapacity to control actions in s 27 is that it mirrors the provisions of s 23, as Sir Samuel Griffith explained in his notes to the Draft Code, (1897), 14:
"An act to involve criminal responsibility must be voluntary, as distinguished from involuntary [s.23] - that is to say, it must be accompanied by volition. In order that an action may be accompanied by volition there must be in the first place perception, more or less accurate, of the facts, then a determination or choice of the action to be taken upon those facts, and finally the action. If the person in question is incapable from mental disorder of rightly perceiving the facts, he should be treated on the same footing as a man who in good faith misapprehends the facts [s.24]. If he is for the same cause incapable of exercising the power of determination or choice, he should be treated on the same footing as a man who does an act independently of the exercise of his will [s.23]." '
'Where an accused's acts are alleged to be involuntary by reason of mental disease or natural mental infirmity, no distinction can be drawn between the defence of automatism - the absence of will accompanying the relevant acts of the accused - and the defence of insanity under s 27 of the Code. This is necessarily so because s 27 relieves a person of criminal responsibility for an act done in "such a state of mental disease or natural mental infirmity as to deprive him of capacity to understand what he is doing, or of capacity to control his actions ...".
... Where the voluntariness of an accused's acts is to be determined by reference to a condition which, if it existed at all, must on the evidence have amounted to a state of mental disease or natural mental infirmity, the question whether the accused's acts were voluntary will be subsumed in the question whether the accused did in fact suffer from a state of insanity envisaged by the section such that it deprived him of the capacity to understand what he was doing or the capacity to control his actions. S 27 also applies where a person is by reason of mental disease or natural mental infirmity deprived of the capacity to know that he ought not to have acted as he did. That would seem to raise a question distinct from that of voluntariness.'
'Of course, insanity is not confined to involuntary action; insanity may be established even if a person has acted voluntarily, hence the need for lack of "capacity to understand what he is doing" or lack of "capacity to know that he ought not to do the act or make the omission" as components in s 27.'
'It is clear from the terms of s 27 of the Code - "such a state of mental disease or natural mental infirmity as to deprive him ... of capacity to control his actions" that the defence of insanity or unsoundness of mind encompasses involuntariness when it proceeds from a mental disease or natural mental infirmity.'
In The State of Western Australia v Brown [No 3] [2013] WASC I considered the meaning of the Criminal Code s 28. I see no reason to change the views which I expressed then in the following terms:
[T]he Macquarie Dictionary defines 'intoxication' as including:
1. inebriation; drunkenness;
2. Pathol. Poisoning;
3. the act of intoxicating; and
4. overpowering action or effect upon the mind.
The Shorter Oxford Dictionary defines 'intoxication' as including:
1. The action of poisoning; the state of being poisoned; an instance of this.
2. The action of stupefying with a drug or alcoholic liquor; the making drunk or inebriated; the condition of being so stupefied or made drunk.
3. fig.
(a) The poisoning of the moral or mental faculties; a cause of this.
(b) The action or power of highly exciting the mind; elation beyond the bounds of sobriety.
...
In my view, the most appropriate definition of 'intoxication' is 'overpowering action or effect on the mind'.
...
The Macquarie Dictionary defines 'disordered' to mean 'in confusion' or 'mentally ill'. The online Oxford English Dictionary defines 'disordered' relevantly to mean:
In my view, 'disordered' in s 28 means confused or disarranged. Thus, put in other words, the Criminal Code s 28 states that s 27 applies to a person whose mind is confused or disarranged by the overpowering action or effect on the mind of a drug, if the intoxication is caused without intention on his part. It is clear from what I have said that it is unnecessary for the purpose of s 28(1) that a large amount of the drug has to be consumed [45] - [49].
Using the same definition of intoxication, s 28(2) says that s 27 does not apply to a person who has intentionally caused his mind to be intoxicated; that is, subject to the overpowering action or effect of a drug or liquor.
I am of the opinion that s 28(2) refers to a person who has 'become intoxicated' at the time of the commission of the relevant acts.
In my opinion, Mr Daly's psychotically disturbed mental state in the days around 19 November 2016 constitutes 'mental impairment' as defined in s 27 of the Criminal Code.
Without having access to his thinking, feeling and reasoning at the time that he allegedly stabbed Mr Bosch, I cannot be satisfied, with a reasonable degree of certainty that Mr Daly was deprived of any or all of the s 27 capacities.
Mr Daly said 'I cannot say, the angels knew he was a paedophile and I knew but cannot say more.' When asked about information provided in statements by his school colleagues and friends where it was reported that Mr Daly told friends that he was employed by a bikie gang with the job to rid the world of paedophiles, Mr Daly said in a very quiet voice and indicating with his eyes upwards 'they knew, the angels, so I knew from them; he was a paedophile it was in his eyes; I cannot say more, I cannot talk about anything otherwise it will be bad.'
I certify that the preceding paragraph(s) comprise the reasons for decision of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
[4] Exhibit 3: Formal admission by Mr Daly pursuant to s 32 of the Evidence Act 1906 (WA) dated 22 August 2019.
[5] Exhibit 16: Statement of Relevant Events.
[6] Exhibit 4: Bundle of Agreed Materials.
[15] Statement of Emerald Baz dated 24 January 2017 [124] - [136]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 1.
[16] Statement of Robert Witalik dated 8 December 2016 [10] - [23]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 35.
[17] Exhibit 6: CCTV footage from Bus 2124; Statement of Edouard Easton dated 14 April 2017: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 38.
[18] Exhibit 7: CCTV footage from 5 Wella Court, Coolbellup.
[19] Statement of Nickolas Peake dated 4 May 2017 [42] - [47]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 210; Strava Report: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 217.
[20] Exhibit 8: CCTV footage from Coolbellup shopping centre.
[21] Exhibit 9: CCTV footage from BWS liquor store.
[22] Exhibit 10: CCTV footage from City of Cockburn library.
[23] Exhibit 11: CCTV footage from 5 Wella Court, Coolbellup.
[24] See the statements of Barry Anderson dated 21 November 2016: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 71.
[25] Statement of Aleisha Walker dated 14 February 2017 [9]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 79; St John Ambulance Patient Care Record 16157257: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 90.
[26] Statement of Lindsay Cameron dated 17 February 2017 [13] - [15]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 84.
[27] Statement of Lindsay Cameron dated 17 February 2017 [19] - [21]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 84.
[28] Statement of Aleisha Walker dated 14 February 2017 [32] - [33]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 79; St John Ambulance Patient Care Record 16157257: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 90.
[29] Fiona Stanley Hospital Discharge Summary: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 99.
[30] Mortuary Admission Form: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 102.
[31] Confidential Report to the Coroner dated 2 December 2016, 1: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 104.
[32] Exhibit 12: CCTV footage from 5 Wella Court, Coolbellup.
[33] Statement of Alan Connor Magee dated 14 June 2017 [2] - [12]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 93.
[34] Statement of Tashwhille Duwayne Eksteen dated 3 October 2017 [7]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 147.
[35] Statement of Tashwhille Duwayne Eksteen dated 3 October 2017 [11]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 147; Exhibit 13: Video recording of scene.
[36] Statement of Dean Thomas Lampard dated 7 November 2018 [2] - [3]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 103.
[37] Statement of Dean Thomas Lampard dated 7 November 2018 [7] - [10]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 103.
[38] Statement of Dean Thomas Lampard dated 7 November 2018 [11]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 103.
[39] Video recording of police interview 28 December 2016: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 331.
[40] Statement of Samuel John Bosustow dated 17 April 2017: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 191.
[41] Exhibit 14: LD product 31 March 2017.
[42] Statement of Ray Robert Flanagan dated 8 June 2017 [99] - [109]: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 194.
[43] Video recording of police interview 31 March 2017: Bundle of Agreed Materials, 340.
[45] Hone v The State of Western Australia [2007] WASCA 283; (2007) 179 A Crim R 138.
[46] Hone v The State of Western Australia [2007] WASCA 283; (2007) 179 A Crim R 138 [13] (Steytler P), [124] (Miller JA).
[47] Application dated 15 August 2019; Application dated 18 August 2019; Consent Notice dated 25 August 2019.
[51] Ward v The Queen [2000] WASCA 413; (2000) 23 WAR 254 [25] (Kennedy J).
[53] R v Porter [1933] HCA 1; (1933) 55 CLR 182, 184.
[55] R v Falconer [1990] HCA 49; (1990) 171 CLR 30, 60.
[56] The State of Western Australia v Herbert [2017] WASC 101 [48] - [50].
[57] Stapleton v The Queen [1952] HCA 56; (1952) 86 CLR 358, 367.
[58] Evans v The State of Western Australia [2010] WASCA 34 [30] - [31].
[59] Evans v The State of Western Australia [2010] WASCA 34 [31].
[60] The State of Western Australia v Marotta [2018] WASC 329.
[61] The State of Western Australia v Lang [No 2] [2016] WASC 206.
[62] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon.
[64] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon.
[65]Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 2; ts 223, 3 September 2019.
[67] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 10.
[68] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 10.
[69] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 6 - 7.
[70] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 7.
[71] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 7.
[72] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 13.
[74] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 5 - 6.
[75] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 6; ts 226, 3 September 2019.
[76] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 6.
[77] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 6; ts 226, 3 September 2019.
[81] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 10 - 11.
[82] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 11.
[83] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 11.
[84] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 13.
[85] Exhibit 19: Medical records of the accused from Fremantle Hospital.
[89] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 11.
[90] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials to be relied upon, 11 - 12.
[99] Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018; Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019.
[100] Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [1].
[102] Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [20].
[103] Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [20].
[104] Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [21] - [22].
[105] Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018 [7]; Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [7].
[107] Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [25].
[108] Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018 [8] - [9].
[109] Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018 [9].
[114] Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018 [11].
[115] Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018 [7].
[116] Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018 [7].
[117] Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [10].
[123] Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018 [97].
[124] Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [32].
[125] Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018 [90]; Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [32].
[128] Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [25].
[133] Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [10].
[134] Exhibit 21: Report of Dr Pascu dated 1 March 2019 [10].
[138] Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018 [45] - [48]; Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials relied upon, 9.
[139] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials relied upon, 9; Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018 [47].
[140] Exhibit 22: Report of Dr Patchett dated 26 June 2018 and index of materials relied upon, 9; Exhibit 20: Report of Dr Pascu dated 15 February 2018 [45].
[149] ts 128 - 129,137 - 138, 2 September 2019.
[150] Bundle of Agreed Materials, 281 - 300.
[151] Bundle of Agreed Materials, 290 - 291 [15] - [26].
[152] Bundle of Agreed Materials, 295 - 300 [10] - [22].
(1990) 171 CLR 30
(1933) 55 CLR 1828
(2000) 23 WAR 254
(1952) 86 CLR 358
(1933) 55 CLR 182