Hinkley v The Queen

The applicant, Hinkley, sought special leave to appeal to the High Court of Australia against a decision of the Supreme Court of Tasmania. The dispute concerned the applicant's conviction for murder and the subsequent sentence imposed.

The primary legal issue before the High Court was whether the Supreme Court of Tasmania had erred in dismissing Hinkley's appeal against his conviction. Specifically, the High Court considered whether the trial judge had misdirected the jury on the issue of self-defence, and whether the jury's verdict was unsafe and unsatisfactory in light of the evidence presented.

Kirby J, in chambers, considered the grounds for special leave. His Honour noted that the applicant had not demonstrated any error of law or fact that would warrant the High Court's intervention. The grounds raised were essentially a re-argument of the case that had already been considered and rejected by the Full Court of the Supreme Court of Tasmania. Therefore, special leave to appeal was refused.