Alfred Tighe v The Queen

The appellant, Alfred Tighe, appealed against his conviction for drug-related offences in the Local Court of New South Wales. The dispute centred on the reliability of evidence provided during the trial and the consistency of statements made in subsequent proceedings. The case was heard in the Court of Criminal Appeal in New South Wales.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the evidence upon which the conviction was based was reliable and consistent. The appellant argued that the evidence provided in the Local Court was unreliable due to inconsistencies with statements made in later proceedings. The court had to determine if these inconsistencies rendered the evidence unreliable and, consequently, if the conviction should be set aside.

The Court of Criminal Appeal held that the evidence presented in the Local Court was significantly inconsistent with the appellant's admissions made in later proceedings. The court found that these inconsistencies severely undermined the reliability of the evidence and, therefore, the conviction. The court concluded that the appellant's right to a fair trial had been compromised by the reliance on this unreliable evidence. Consequently, the appeal was allowed, and the conviction was set aside.

No additional orders were made beyond setting aside the conviction.