Hofer v. The Queen

Lower Court Judgment

18/10/2019 Supreme Court of New South Wales (Court of Criminal Appeal) (MacFarlan JA, Fullerton & Fagan JJ)

[2019] NSWCCA 244

Catchwords

Criminal law – Criminal procedure – Conduct of cross-examination – Where applicant charged with 11 counts of having sexual intercourse without consent – Where two complainants testified as prosecution witnesses – Where applicant gave evidence – Where, during cross-examination, prosecutor asked applicant about aspects of his evidence arising from defence counsel’s failure to comply with Browne v Dunn rule in respect of those matters in cross-examination of complainants – Where prosecutor suggested applicant lying in evidence about those matters because defence counsel had not put those matters to complainants – Where defence counsel did not object to prosecutor’s questions – Where applicant convicted and unsuccessfully appealed to NSW Court of Criminal Appeal – Whether prosecutor able to cross-examine accused with regard to defence counsel’s non-compliance with rule in Browne v Dunn – Whether prosecutor engaged in impermissible questioning – Whether defence counsel at trial incompetent – Whether trial miscarried.