R v QX

In this case, the accused, QX, was charged with a range of sexual offences against a young person, including maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person, sexual intercourse with a person between the age of 10 and 16 years, committing an act of indecency on a person between the ages of 10 and 16 years, and grooming a young person by engaging in conduct with another person who has a relationship with the young person with the intention of making it more likely that the young person would take part in an act of a sexual nature. QX filed an application seeking a stay of the indictment on the basis that it exposed him to the possibility of double jeopardy, offended section 24 of the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT), represented an abuse of process, and represented a fundamental unfairness. The Court considered the arguments and found that the accused's application for a stay was not warranted. The Court found that the accused's arguments had been settled by the Court of Appeal in KN v The Queen and that the indictment as drafted did not raise any issue of unfairness sufficient to warrant a stay. The Court dismissed the application for a stay of the indictment.