HEADNOTE
[This headnote is not to be read as part of the judgment]
Jared Warton (the applicant) sought leave to appeal against his convictions for three sexual offences under authority against LN (the complainant) committed on 7 March 2019 on the following grounds:
(1) that the trial judge erred in refusing the application for the complainant to give further evidence by way of cross-examination pursuant to s 306J of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) (ground 1); and
(2) that the sentencing judge erred in her consideration of the applicant's criminal history (ground 2).
The applicant, a Community Corrections Officer, supervised the complainant on parole. When he visited her home on 7 March 2019, she admitted smoking marijuana in previous days. He administered an oral drug test, which returned a negative result. She became upset. The applicant kissed her and said, "you want it all to go away, don't you?". He withdrew his erect penis and gave the complainant the option to perform fellatio or engage in penile/vaginal sexual intercourse. When the complainant said, "you're not allowed to do this", the applicant pulled her head towards his penis, following which he engaged in penile/vaginal sexual intercourse with her. Before leaving the unit, he told her that he would be returning to do it again fortnightly.
The complainant gave evidence at the first trial, which was recorded. The first and second trials were aborted. Prior to the commencement of the third trial, the applicant applied under s 306J of the Criminal Procedure Act for an order that the complainant be recalled for further cross-examination concerning (1) her Facebook use in 2014, and (2) an interaction between the complainant and police on 25 January 2018, both of which were accepted to be relevant solely to credibility.
As to (1), the complainant said in evidence, "I don't get on Facebook. I don't own Facebook." The applicant proposed to cross-examine her on a series of Facebook images and posts from 18 October 2014 to 25 December 2014.
As to (2), on 25 January 2018, police followed the vehicle which the complainant was driving and which she then parked on the road. When questioned about its location, she said, "It's not on the road I've parked it as close to the edge as I can." When told that she had been stopped for breath and drug tests, she said, "I wasn't even driving."
In refusing the application, the trial judge found that the evidence was not capable of substantially affecting the assessment of the complainant's credibility and was inadmissible under s 103(1) of the Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) (ground 1). The applicant was convicted of all three counts at the conclusion of the third trial.
The applicant had a criminal history but no prior recorded convictions. In the reasons on sentence, the trial judge said, "[w]hilst his criminal history is limited, I am satisfied it disentitles him to the leniency on sentence that would otherwise be available to a person of good character" (ground 2).
The Court held (Adamson JA, Ball JA and Fagan J agreeing), granting leave to appeal on ground 1, but dismissing the appeal, and refusing leave to appeal on ground 2:
Ground 1: refusal of the application for the complainant to give further evidence by way of cross-examination, pursuant to s 306J of the Criminal Procedure Act
(1) The correctness standard applies to this Court's consideration of whether the trial judge erred in refusing the application: at [39] (Adamson JA), [75] (Ball JA), [76] (Fagan J).
Hayne v R [2024] NSWCCA 97; WX v R (2020) 102 NSWLR 467; [2020] NSWCCA 142l, applied.
(2) The trial judge was correct to find the evidence inadmissible under s 103(1) of the Evidence Act. It was therefore unnecessary for the trial judge, or this Court, to address s 306J of the Criminal Procedure Act: at [51] (Adamson JA), [75] (Ball JA), [76] (Fagan J).
Ground 2: consideration of the applicant's criminal history in assessing "good character"
(3) The expression "good character" has positive and negative aspects. In its positive sense, it means a history of previous good works and contribution to the community. In its negative sense, it can mean either an absence of prior convictions or that the offender has not previously engaged in criminal or blameworthy conduct: at [66]-[67] (Adamson JA), [75] (Ball JA), [76] (Fagan J).
Saunders v R [2022] NSWCCA 174; Weininger v The Queen (2003) 212 CLR 629; [2003] HCA 14; R v Levi (Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW), Gleeson CJ, 15 May 1997, unrep); R v Price [2005] NSWCCA 285; R v I R Hall (No 2) [2005] NSWSC 890, applied.
R v Gent [2005] NSWCCA 370; (2005) 162 A Crim R 29, cited.
(4) The only sense in which the "good character" was used in the trial and sentence hearing was in the narrow negative sense of absence of prior convictions. The trial judge was not required to disregard the applicant's antecedents which showed that he had engaged in criminal conduct. No error has been established: at [66]-[73] (Adamson JA), [75] (Ball JA), [76] (Fagan J).
(5) The sentencing judge plainly took into account in the applicant's favour his limited criminal history when assessing his prospects of rehabilitation and the likelihood of re-offending: [64] (Adamson JA), [75] (Ball JA), [76] (Fagan J).