Mansell v The State of Western Australia [No 5]

Case [2013] WASCA 83


MANSELL -v- THE STATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA [No 5] [2013] WASCA 83



SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIACitation No:[2013] WASCA 83
THE COURT OF APPEAL (WA)26/03/2013
Case No:CACR:190/2011ON THE PAPERS
Coram:PULLIN JA26/03/13
4Judgment Part:1 of 1
Result: Applications dismissed
B
PDF Version
Parties:CAMERON JAMES MANSELL
THE STATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Catchwords:

Criminal law
Application to vacate hearing
Turns on own facts

Legislation:

Nil

Case References:

Mansell v The State of Western Australia [No 3] [2013] WASCA 62
Mansell v The State of Western Australia [No 4] [2013] WASCA 82


JURISDICTION : SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA TITLE OF COURT : THE COURT OF APPEAL (WA) CITATION : MANSELL -v- THE STATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA [No 5] [2013] WASCA 83 CORAM : PULLIN JA HEARD : ON THE PAPERS DELIVERED : 26 MARCH 2013 PUBLISHED : 26 MARCH 2013 FILE NO/S : CACR 190 of 2011 BETWEEN : CAMERON JAMES MANSELL
    Appellant

    AND

    THE STATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
    Respondent


ON APPEAL FROM:

Jurisdiction : SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Coram : MURRAY J

File No : INS 177 of 2010


Catchwords:

Criminal law - Application to vacate hearing - Turns on own facts


(Page 2)



Legislation:

Nil

Result:

Applications dismissed


Category: B


Representation:

Counsel:


    Appellant : In person
    Respondent : Mr L M Fox

Solicitors:

    Appellant : In person
    Respondent : Director of Public Prosecutions (WA)



Case(s) referred to in judgment(s):

Mansell v The State of Western Australia [No 3] [2013] WASCA 62
Mansell v The State of Western Australia [No 4] [2013] WASCA 82


(Page 3)

1 PULLIN JA: The appellant has made two more interlocutory applications. They are both dated 11 March 2013, but were not filed in the registry until 15 March 2013. This is in addition to the 10 earlier applications brought before me. See Mansell v The State of Western Australia [No 3] [2013] WASCA 62 and Mansell v The State of Western Australia [No 4] [2013] WASCA 82.

2 One of the applications dated 11 March 2013 seeks an order that:


    Compact discs containing various media reports about this case to be submitted into evidence.

3 The appellant's affidavit in support does not identify the compact discs or the 'various media reports'. It reads:

    2. I say the media reports containing the word 'Mansell' 349 times, the words either 'murder' or 'killed' 99 times and the word 'Puddy' 153 times.

    3. I say and believe that this went to the public in which the jury were chosen and would have made a lasting imprint in their psyche undoubtedly influencing their decision-making process.

    The appellant states that this evidence is relevant to grounds 1 and 7 of his appeal.

4 Ground 1 reads:

    The verdict of guilty on which the conviction is based should be set aside because, having regard to the evidence, it is unreasonable or cannot be lawfully supported.

5 Ground 7 reads:

    The verdict of guilty on which the conviction is based should be set aside because, the State's case was completely circumstantial and fails at many levels factually to support the verdict under close examination.

6 The evidence referred to the affidavit, even by its general description, is not relevant to either ground.

7 It is also likely, although it is impossible to be certain, that this is, in substance, a repeat of 'the fourth application dated 17 February 2013' referred to in Mansell v The State of Western Australia [No 3].

8 As a result of the foregoing, this application is dismissed.

(Page 4)



9 The other application dated 11 March 2013 reads:

    The hearing of the appeal scheduled for 3 April 2013 to be vacated due to obstructions to progressing the appellant is experiencing whilst in custody [sic].

10 This is supported by an affidavit which reads:

    1. I say I am submitting this affidavit in support of an application in an appeal to vacate the date currently set down for the hearing of the appeal which is due to commence on … 3 April 2013.

    2. I say this is due to the obstructions the appellant is experiencing progressing the appeal whilst in custody.

    3. I say this application is relevant to both grounds 1 and 7 and all the paragraphs in those grounds contained in the appellant's submissions.


11 That affidavit provides no particulars to support the generalised assertion of 'obstructions'. For that reason, this application is also dismissed.

12 The appellant is wasting time by bringing meritless interlocutory applications, time which could be spent on preparation for the appeal.

Details
AGLC
MANSELL -v- THE STATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA [No 5] [2013] WASCA 83
Case
[2013] WASCA 83
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The case of Mansell v The State of Western Australia [No 5] involves the defendant, Mansell, applying to vacate a hearing in relation to criminal charges brought against him by the State of Western Australia. The application was made before the court, and the primary focus was on whether the application could proceed based on the unique circumstances of the case. The court was tasked with determining whether the application should be entertained or dismissed.

The legal issues at the heart of this case revolved around the procedural aspect of the application to vacate the hearing. Specifically, the court had to decide whether the application was based on facts that were distinct enough to warrant a separate hearing or if it merely represented a reiteration of arguments that had already been considered. The court also needed to assess whether the application could be considered on its own merits or if it was inextricably linked to the broader proceedings against Mansell.

In its reasoning, the court held that the application to vacate the hearing did not turn on its own unique facts. Instead, the application was found to be a reiteration of previous arguments that had already been examined and dismissed. The court concluded that the application did not present new evidence or circumstances that would justify a separate hearing. Consequently, the application was dismissed, and no further consideration was given to the procedural aspect of the case. The orders of the court were straightforward, with the applications made by Mansell being dismissed.

Orders

Orders of the court

Applications dismissed

Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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