Background
AR received an aggregate sentence of nine years and six months’ imprisonment after being convicted of sexual offences. The sentence commenced on 24 July 2022, was due to expire on 23 January 2032, and carried a non-parole period expiring on 23 April 2027. The Court of Criminal Appeal later quashed the convictions and ordered a retrial, after which the District Court granted AR bail pending that retrial.
The Crown successfully appealed to the High Court, which reinstated the convictions and original sentence. When AR returned to custody, the District Court made an order referring to sections 18 and 28A(3) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW). Corrective Services treated the order as stopping the sentence during AR’s 335 days on bail, extending both the sentence and non-parole period. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought judicial review, with AR and the Commissioner consenting to the requested relief.
The Court’s Holding
The Court of Appeal quashed the District Court’s order. It held that the District Court lacked power to alter the perfected sentence and that the statutory provisions excluding time spent on bail apply when an offender is on bail pending that offender’s own appeal. They do not apply when bail is granted pending a retrial and the Crown subsequently appeals to the High Court.
The High Court’s order replacing the Court of Criminal Appeal’s orders with an order dismissing AR’s original appeal did not bring the case within section 18. Nor did section 28A empower the District Court to adjust the sentence; the “court” identified in that provision is the Court of Criminal Appeal. Because no statute displaced the ordinary operation of the fixed-date sentence, it continued to run while AR was on bail. The Court declared that the sentence expires on 23 January 2032 and the non-parole period on 23 April 2027.
Key Takeaways
- Time spent on bail pending a retrial can count toward a reinstated fixed-date sentence when the Crown, rather than the offender, brings the further appeal.
- Sections 18, 25A and 28A of the Criminal Appeal Act address bail associated with an offender’s appeal; they do not authorize sentence adjustment following a Crown appeal in these circumstances.
- The Supreme Court’s supervisory jurisdiction permits it to quash a District Court order made without jurisdiction, even where all parties consent to the relief.
Why It Matters
The decision clarifies an unusual but consequential gap in New South Wales criminal-appeal legislation. Bail does not itself suspend a sentence, and courts or correctional authorities cannot add time to a fixed sentence without statutory authority.
The ruling also underscores the practical importance of correcting unlawful sentence records promptly. An incorrect extension can affect access to prison programs, parole eligibility, and ultimately whether continued detention is lawful.