The Queen v GW

Criminal law – Evidence – Unsworn evidence – Where respondent convicted following trial in Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory of commission of act of indecency in presence of daughter, R – Where R six years old when giving evidence – Where R's evidence received unsworn under s 13(3) of Uniform Evidence legislation – Where ex tempore reasons of pre-trial judge suggested reversal of presumption of competence to give sworn evidence – Where respondent agreed to be bound by pre-trial judge's ruling under s 13(3) – Whether pre-trial judge failed to apply s 13 – Whether open to pre-trial judge to be satisfied s 13(3) test met – Whether R's unsworn evidence wrongly admitted.

Criminal law – Evidence – Jury directions – Where audiovisual recording of child witness' unsworn evidence tendered at trial – Where respondent requested trial judge direct jury that evidence unsworn – Whether Uniform Evidence legislation required direction – Whether common law required direction to avoid perceptible risk of miscarriage of justice – Whether adequate directions given.

Words and phrases – "competence", "evidence of a kind that may be unreliable", "evidence of children", "obligation to give truthful evidence", "perceptible risk of a miscarriage of justice", "presumption of competence", "reliability", "sworn evidence", "unsworn evidence".

Crimes Act 1900 (ACT) – s 61(1).

Evidence Act 2011 (ACT) – ss 12, 13, 21, 165, 165A, Sched 1.

Evidence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1991 (ACT) – s 70.