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Murphy v Spencer

Murphy v Spencer

Case [2013] WASC 256 10 July 2013

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MURPHY -v- SPENCER [2013] WASC 256

Jurisdiction:	SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA	Citation No:	[2013] WASC 256
Case No:	SJA:1139/2012	Heard:	21 MAY 2013, 7 & 12 JUNE 2013
Coram:	CORBOY J	Delivered:	10/07/13
No of pages:	30	Judgment Part:	1 of 1
Result:	Leave to appeal granted Appeal allowed Conviction set aside Acquittal entered
Category:	B
PDF Version

Parties:	MATTHEW JOHN MURPHY TONI SPENCER
Catchwords:	Criminal law Indecent assault Whether alleged touching was intentional Whether prosecution required to prove that the alleged touching was not an unwilled act or not an event that occurred by accident Elements of the offence Criminal law and procedure Whether finding of guilt unreasonable or not supported by the evidence Whether there was no substantial miscarriage of justice notwithstanding errors of fact and law
Legislation:	Criminal Appeals Act 2004 (WA), s 8, s 14 Criminal Code (WA), s 324
Case References:	AK v The State of Western Australia [2006] WASCA 245 Cox v The Queen (Unreported, CCA SCt of WA, Library No 940530, 27 September 1994) Dall v Police [2008] SASC 85 Drago v The Queen (1992) 8 WAR 488 Duffy v The Queen [1981] WAR 72 Fagin v Metropolitan Commissioner of Police [1969] 1 QB 439 Hall v Fonceca [1983] WAR 309 Harkin v The Queen (1980) 38 A Crim R 296 Hunt v Callaghan [2011] WASC 10 Kaporonovski v The Queen [1973] HCA 35; (1973) 133 CLR 209 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; (1994) 181 CLR 487 Michaelides v The Queen [2013] HCA 9; (2013) 296 ALR 1; (2013) 87 ALJR 456 R v Falconer [1990] HCA 49; (1990) 171 CLR 30 R v McIver (1928) 22 QJPR 173

JURISDICTION : SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

IN CRIMINAL

CITATION : MURPHY -v- SPENCER [2013] WASC 256 CORAM : CORBOY J HEARD : 21 MAY 2013, 7 & 12 JUNE 2013 DELIVERED : 10 JULY 2013 FILE NO/S : SJA 1139 of 2012 BETWEEN : MATTHEW JOHN MURPHY

Appellant

AND

TONI SPENCER

Respondent

ON APPEAL FROM:

Jurisdiction : MAGISTRATES COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Coram : MAGISTRATE B A LANE

File No : JO 5995 of 2012

Catchwords:

Criminal law - Indecent assault - Whether alleged touching was intentional - Whether prosecution required to prove that the alleged touching was not an unwilled act or not an event that occurred by accident - Elements of the offence

Criminal law and procedure - Whether finding of guilt unreasonable or not supported by the evidence - Whether there was no substantial miscarriage of justice notwithstanding errors of fact and law

(Page 2)

Legislation:

Criminal Appeals Act 2004 (WA), s 8, s 14

Criminal Code (WA), s 324

Result:

Leave to appeal granted

Appeal allowed
Conviction set aside
Acquittal entered

Category: B

Representation:

Counsel:

Appellant : Mr G Rodgers

Respondent : Ms G Cleary

Solicitors:

Appellant : Slater & Gordon

Respondent : Director of Public Prosecutions (WA)

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

AK v The State of Western Australia [2006]…

Grounds of appeal

[14] The appellant contends that the primary judge erred in finding that the respondent had discharged the onus of establishing the matters required under the relevant provision.

[15] It was submitted that his Honour failed to give adequate weight to the evidence of the second witness, and that the findings of fact were not reasonably open on the material before the Court.

[16] The respondent, for its part, submits that no error is disclosed, and that the conclusions reached were well within the range of outcomes available to the primary judge.

Consideration

[17] It is convenient to deal first with the question of construction, as the resolution of that issue informs the remaining grounds advanced by the appellant.

[18] For the reasons that follow, we are of the view that the appeal should be allowed in part and the matter remitted for further determination.

Continue reading Murphy v Spencer

Details

AGLC: MURPHY -v- SPENCER [2013] WASC 256
Case: [2013] WASC 256
Decision Date: 10 JULY 2013

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The appellant, Murphy, was convicted of indecent assault against the respondent, Spencer. The dispute involved whether Murphy intentionally touched Spencer in an indecent manner. The High Court of Australia heard the appeal against the conviction, focusing on the elements of the offence and the burden of proof. The central legal issues were whether the prosecution needed to prove that the touching was intentional and not accidental or unwilled, and if the conviction was unreasonable or unsupported by the evidence. The court examined the statutory framework and the principles governing criminal appeals. It determined that the prosecution had not discharged the onus of proving that the alleged touching was intentional, as the defence of accident or unwilled act was not disproven. The court concluded that the conviction was unreasonable and not supported by the evidence, leading to a substantial miscarriage of justice. Consequently, the High Court granted leave to appeal, allowed the appeal, set aside the conviction, and entered an acquittal for the appellant.

Orders

Orders of the court

Leave to appeal granted

Appeal allowed

Conviction set aside

Acquittal entered

Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

Full text does not contain this section.

Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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Citations

MURPHY -v- SPENCER [2013] WASC 256

Most Recent Citation

Gartner v Brennan [2016] WASC 89

Cases Citing This Decision

Tasovac v Veterinary Surgeons' Board of Western Australia [2021] WASC 407
Citation 1 (Para 5)

…efit of seeing and hearing the witnesses and was entrusted with the primary responsibility of determining guilt or innocence.[7] [7] Murphy v Spencer [2013] WASC 256; (2013) 232 A Crim R 74 [63] - [64] (Corboy J) citing AK v The State of Western Australia [2006] WASCA 245 [37] (Pullin JA) (I note that this decisio…
TWG v Boucher [2020] WASC 98
Citation 2 (Para 1)

…ry responsibility of determining guilt or innocence.[45] [45] AK v The State of Western Australia [2006] WASCA 245 [37] (Pullin JA); Murphy v Spencer [2013] WASC 256 (Corboy J); The State of Western Australia v Rayney [2013] WASCA 219 [372].…
R v Harkin [2019] WASC 84
Citation 3 (Para 5)

…The State of Western Australia v Staniforth‑Smith ,[25] in support of its argument. [23] R v Furlong (1992) 13 Cr App R 112. [24] Murphy v Spencer [2013] WASC 256; (2013) 232 A Crim R 74. [25] The State of Western Australia v Staniforth‑Smith [2014] WASCA 170.…
Hayman v Cartwright [2018] WASCA 116
Citation 4 (Para 2)

…a decision of a single judge of the General Division[1] which, in turn, had followed a decision of this court's predecessor.[2] [1] Murphy v Spencer [2013] WASC 256; (2013) 232 A Crim R 74. [2] Hall v Fonceca [1983] WAR 309.…
Zobair v Miller [2017] WASC 241
Citation 5 (Para 3)

…oposition is well known: Hall v Fonceca [1983] WAR 309, 314 (Smith & Kennedy JJ). Hall v Fonceca was recently applied by Corboy J in Murphy v Spencer [2013] WASC 256 [50] - [52] in an appeal against a conviction of an offence of indecent assault in circumstances of aggravation in respect of an offence under s 324…
Hunter v City of Joondalup [2016] WASC 424
Citation 6

…195 CLR 665 Mack v The State of Western Australia [2014] WASCA 207 Mocilac v City of Fremantle [2014] WASC 56; (2014) 199 LGERA 405 Murphy v Spencer [2013] WASC 256 R v Brown (Winston) (1994) 1 WLR 1599 Scolaro v Shephard [No 2] [2010] WASC 271 Stephenson v Treser [2014] WASC 181 Teissier v City of Rockingham [20…
Isitt v The Commissioner of Police [2016] QDC 308
Citation 7 (Para 1)

…In Murphy v Spencer (2013) 232 A Crim R 74, Corboy J of the Western Australian Supreme Court held, at paragraph 35:…
Russell v Green [2016] WASC 251
Citation 8 (Para 3)

…court proceeding on the record. Those limitations include that the trial judge had the benefit of seeing and hearing the witnesses: Murphy v Spencer [2013] WASC 256 [63] ‑ [64] (Corboy J); The State of Western Australia v Rayney [2013] WASCA 219 [372] ‑ [375].…
Fradale v Zonic [2016] WASC 114
Citation 9

…The State of Western Australia [2016] WASCA 54 Libke v The Queen [2007] HCA 30; (2007) 230 CLR 559 M v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 487 Murphy v Spencer [2013] WASC 256 Rankilor v City of South Perth [2016] WASCA 29 The State of Western Australia v Rayney [2013] WASCA 219; (2013) 46 WAR 1…
Gartner v Brennan [2016] WASC 89
Citation 10 (Para 2)

…0(3). [111] See Stephenson v Treser [2014] WASC 181 [28] - [31] (Le Miere J); Thakrar v Hull [2013] WASC 447 [19] - [22] (Corboy J); Murphy v Spencer [2013] WASC 256 [62] - [68] (Corboy J); Hunt v Callaghan [2011] WASC 10 [150] - [152] (Jenkins J); but cf Scolaro v Shepherd [No. 2] [2010] WASC 271 [86] (Martin CJ)…
The State of Western Australia v Rayney [2013] WASCA 219
Citation 11

…(1992) 35 FCR 359 Morgan v The State of Western Australia [2011] WASCA 185 Moroney v Wojcicka [2003] ACTCA 15; (2003) 143 A Crim R 1 Murphy v Spencer [2013] WASC 256 NAD v The State of Western Australia [2013] WASCA 2 Nigro v Secretary to the Department of Justice [2013] VSCA 213 Norbis v Norbis [1986] HCA 17; (19…

See all citing cases →

Cases Cited

Harkin v The Queen [2020] NSWCCA 242
Citation 1

…The Queen (1992) 8 WAR 488 Duffy v The Queen [1981] WAR 72 Fagin v Metropolitan Commissioner of Police [1969] 1 QB 439 Hall v Fonceca [1983] WAR 309 Harkin v The Queen (1980) 38 A Crim R 296 Hunt v Callaghan [2011] WASC 10 Kaporonovski v The Queen [1973] HCA 35; (1973) 133 CLR 209 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; (1994) 181 CL…
Michaelides v The Queen [2013] HCA 9
Citation 2

…han [2011] WASC 10 Kaporonovski v The Queen [1973] HCA 35; (1973) 133 CLR 209 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; (1994) 181 CLR 487 Michaelides v The Queen [2013] HCA 9; (2013) 296 ALR 1; (2013) 87 ALJR 456 R v Falconer [1990] HCA 49; (1990) 171 CLR 30 R v McIver (1928) 22 QJPR 173…
Hunt v Callaghan [2011] WASC 10
Citation 3

…Fagin v Metropolitan Commissioner of Police [1969] 1 QB 439 Hall v Fonceca [1983] WAR 309 Harkin v The Queen (1980) 38 A Crim R 296 Hunt v Callaghan [2011] WASC 10 Kaporonovski v The Queen [1973] HCA 35; (1973) 133 CLR 209 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; (1994) 181 CLR 487 Michaelides v The Queen [2013] HCA 9; (201…
DALL v Police [2008] SASC 85
Citation 4

…AK v The State of Western Australia [2006] WASCA 245 Cox v The Queen (Unreported, CCA SCt of WA, Library No 940530, 27 September 1994) Dall v Police [2008] SASC 85 Drago v The Queen (1992) 8 WAR 488 Duffy v The Queen [1981] WAR 72 Fagin v Metropolitan Commissioner of Police [1969] 1 QB 439 Hall v Fonceca [1983] W…
AK v The State of Western Australia [2006] WASCA 245
Citation 5

…AK v The State of Western Australia [2006] WASCA 245 Cox v The Queen (Unreported, CCA SCt of WA, Library No 940530, 27 September 1994) Dall v Police [2008] SASC 85 Drago v The Queen (1992) 8 WAR 488 Duffy v The Queen [1981] WAR 72 Fagin v Metropolitan Commissioner of Police [1969] 1 QB 439 Hall v Fonceca [1983] WAR…
M v the Queen [1994] HCA 63
Citation 6

…09 Harkin v The Queen (1980) 38 A Crim R 296 Hunt v Callaghan [2011] WASC 10 Kaporonovski v The Queen [1973] HCA 35; (1973) 133 CLR 209 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; (1994) 181 CLR 487 Michaelides v The Queen [2013] HCA 9; (2013) 296 ALR 1; (2013) 87 ALJR 456 R v Falconer [1990] HCA 49; (1990) 171 CLR 30 R v McIv…
Drago v The Queen [1994] HCATrans 292
Citation 7

…lia [2006] WASCA 245 Cox v The Queen (Unreported, CCA SCt of WA, Library No 940530, 27 September 1994) Dall v Police [2008] SASC 85 Drago v The Queen (1992) 8 WAR 488 Duffy v The Queen [1981] WAR 72 Fagin v Metropolitan Commissioner of Police [1969] 1 QB 439 Hall v Fonceca [1983] WAR 309 Harkin v The Queen (1980) 3…
R v Falconer [1990] HCA 49
Citation 8

…) 133 CLR 209 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; (1994) 181 CLR 487 Michaelides v The Queen [2013] HCA 9; (2013) 296 ALR 1; (2013) 87 ALJR 456 R v Falconer [1990] HCA 49; (1990) 171 CLR 30 R v McIver (1928) 22 QJPR 173…
Kaporonovski v The Queen [1973] HCA 35
Citation 9

…lice [1969] 1 QB 439 Hall v Fonceca [1983] WAR 309 Harkin v The Queen (1980) 38 A Crim R 296 Hunt v Callaghan [2011] WASC 10 Kaporonovski v The Queen [1973] HCA 35; (1973) 133 CLR 209 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; (1994) 181 CLR 487 Michaelides v The Queen [2013] HCA 9; (2013) 296 ALR 1; (2013) 87 ALJR 456 R v Fa…
[1969] 1 QB 439 [1969] 1 QB 439
Citation 10

…ber 1994) Dall v Police [2008] SASC 85 Drago v The Queen (1992) 8 WAR 488 Duffy v The Queen [1981] WAR 72 Fagin v Metropolitan Commissioner of Police [1969] 1 QB 439 Hall v Fonceca [1983] WAR 309 Harkin v The Queen (1980) 38 A Crim R 296 Hunt v Callaghan [2011] WASC 10 Kaporonovski v The Queen [1973] HCA 35; (1973…

Legislation Cited

Criminal Appeals Act 2004 (WA) 8
2 mentions