GW v The Queen

GW appealed against a conviction in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. The appeal concerned the reasonableness and evidentiary support for the jury's verdicts, the issue of inconsistent verdicts, and the directions and warnings given to the jury regarding unsworn evidence.

The primary legal issues before the Court of Appeal were whether the verdicts returned by the jury were unreasonable and unsupported by the evidence, and whether the verdicts were demonstrably inconsistent. Further, the court considered whether the directions and warnings provided to the jury concerning the reception and consideration of unsworn evidence were adequate and appropriate.

The Court of Appeal found that the verdicts on certain counts were unreasonable and unsupported by the evidence. It determined that the jury's findings on Count 3 were inconsistent with the evidence presented, leading to a miscarriage of justice. Consequently, the appeal was allowed, the verdict on Count 3 was set aside, and a new trial was ordered specifically for that count.