Hillier v The Queen

The appeal in *Hillier v The Queen* concerned a conviction for murder. The Crown's case against the appellant was based entirely on circumstantial evidence.

The central legal issue before the court was whether the conviction was unsafe and unsatisfactory, thereby warranting appellate intervention.

The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal, finding that the circumstantial evidence presented by the Crown was insufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The court applied the principle that where a conviction rests solely on circumstantial evidence, the evidence must exclude every reasonable hypothesis consistent with innocence. In this instance, the court determined that such exclusion had not been achieved.

Consequently, the appeal was allowed.