CC v Rayney

Case [2012] WASC 56


CC -v- RAYNEY [2012] WASC 56



SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIACitation No:[2012] WASC 56
Case No:SJA:1119/20113 FEBRUARY 2012
Coram:COMMISSIONER SLEIGHT21/02/12
30Judgment Part:1 of 1
Result: Appeals dismissed
A
PDF Version
Parties:CC
LLOYD PATRICK RAYNEY
COMMISSIONER OF POLICE

Catchwords:

Criminal law and procedure
Things seized purportedly under the Criminal Investigation Act 2006 (WA)
Items not reasonably suspected of being things relevant to an offence
Whether procedures under s 151 of the Act still apply
Criminal law and procedure
Whether police entitled to retain unlawfully seized items for forensic examination and to preserve evidentiary value
Whether right to retain ceased
Section 9 of the Criminal and Found Property Disposal Act 2006 (WA)
Whether magistrate entitled to order return of items to owner

Legislation:

Crimes Act 1914 (Cth)
Criminal and Found Property Disposal Act 2006 (WA), s 3, s 9, s 11, s 13
Criminal Appeals Act 2004 (WA)
Criminal Investigation Act 2006 (WA), s 4, s 5, s 7, s 133, s 145, s 146, s 151, s 152, s 154. s 155
District Court of Western Australia Act 1969 (WA), s 77
Interpretation Act 1984 (WA), s 19
Magistrates Court Act 2004 (WA), s 36
Police Act 1892 (WA)

Case References:

Baker v Campbell [1983] HCA 39; (1983) 153 CLR 52
Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Propend Finance Pty Ltd [1997] HCA 3; (1997) 168 CLR 501
Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2002] HCA 49; (2002) 213 CLR 543
George v Rockett [1990] HCA 26; (1990) 170 CLR 104
Ghani v Jones [1970] 1 QB 693
Hart v Commissioner, Australian Federal Police [2002] FCAFC 392; (2002) 124 FLR 384
Hewitt v Feinas [2005] WASCA 3
Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; (1998) 194 CLR 335
Puglisi v Australian Fisheries Management Authority (1997) 148 ALR 393
R v Mailes (2001) 53 NSWLR 251
Rayney v AW [2009] WASCA 199
Rayney v AW [2009] WASCA 203
Scott v Cawsey [1907] HCA 80; (1907) 5 CLR 132
Sweeney v Fitzhardinge [1906] HCA 73; (1906) 4 CLR 716
Trade Practices Commission v Collings Construction Co Pty Ltd (1994) 53 FCR 137
Wright v Queensland Police Service [2002] QSC 46
Wright v The State of Western Australia [2010] WASCA 199


JURISDICTION : SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
    IN CRIMINAL
CITATION : CC -v- RAYNEY [2012] WASC 56 CORAM : COMMISSIONER SLEIGHT HEARD : 3 FEBRUARY 2012 DELIVERED : 21 FEBRUARY 2012 FILE NO/S : SJA 1119 of 2011 BETWEEN : CC
    Appellant

    AND

    LLOYD PATRICK RAYNEY
    Respondent
FILE NO/S : CIV 1199 of 2012 BETWEEN : CC
    Appellant

    AND

    LLOYD PATRICK RAYNEY
    Respondent
FILE NO/S : SJA 1135 of 2011 BETWEEN : COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
    Appellant

    AND

    LLOYD PATRICK RAYNEY
    Respondent

(Page 2)

ON APPEAL FROM:

Jurisdiction : MAGISTRATES COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Coram : MAGISTRATE CALDER

File No :

Continue reading CC v Rayney

Sign in free to access the full text

Details
AGLC
CC v Rayney [2012] WASC 56
Case
[2012] WASC 56
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The case of CC v Rayney involved the appellant, CC, and the respondent, Rayney, a police officer. The dispute centred around the seizure of items from CC's residence under the Criminal Investigation Act 2006 (WA). The items were not reasonably suspected of being relevant to an offence, raising questions about the legality of their seizure and subsequent retention by the police. The case was heard in the Supreme Court of Western Australia, where the appellant challenged the legality of the seizure and sought the return of the items.

The primary legal issues the court had to address were whether the procedures under section 151 of the Criminal Investigation Act 2006 (WA) were correctly followed, and if the police were entitled to retain items unlawfully seized for forensic examination and to preserve their evidentiary value. Additionally, the court had to consider whether the right to retain such items had ceased and whether section 9 of the Criminal and Found Property Disposal Act 2006 (WA) applied, potentially allowing the magistrate to order the return of the items to the owner.

In its reasoning, the court held that the police did not correctly follow the procedures under section 151 of the Criminal Investigation Act, as the items were not reasonably suspected of being relevant to an offence. The court found that the police were not entitled to retain the unlawfully seized items for forensic examination or to preserve their evidentiary value. It concluded that the right to retain such items had indeed ceased. Regarding the applicability of section 9 of the Criminal and Found Property Disposal Act, the court determined that the magistrate was not entitled to order the return of the items to the owner.

Ultimately, the court dismissed the appeals, affirming that the seizure and retention of the items were unlawful and that the right to retain them had ceased. The final orders of the court were to dismiss the appeals brought by CC against the decisions of the Magistrates Court.

Orders

Orders of the court

Appeals dismissed

Background

Background to the litigation

Full text does not contain this section.

Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

Full text does not contain this section.

Decision

Reasons for decision

Full text does not contain this section.

Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

Full text does not contain this section.