Smith v The Queen

Criminal law – Fault element – Intent – Inferential reasoning – Importation of commercial quantity of border controlled drug – Where accused persons brought substance into Australia – Where substance concealed in items – Where accused persons denied intent to import substance – Where accused persons perceived real or significant chance of presence of substance when entering Australia – Whether permissible to infer intent for purposes of Criminal Code (Cth) from awareness of real or significant chance of presence of substance – Whether process of inferential reasoning identified in Bahri Kural v The Queen (1987) 162 CLR 502; [1987] HCA 16 applicable – Whether jury directions conflated intent with recklessness.

Words and phrases – "inferential reasoning", "intent to import", "intention", "jury directions", "real or significant chance", "reckless", "unsafe verdict".

Criminal Code (Cth) – ss 5.2, 5.4, 5.6, 307.1.