In R v ABL [2024] QCA 110, the appellant was convicted of one count of deprivation of liberty, four counts of rape, and one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice. ABL pleaded guilty to the deprivation of liberty charge but contested the other charges, arguing he was forced to plead guilty and that his trial counsel did not follow his instructions regarding witness testimonies. Additionally, ABL claimed he was prevented from giving evidence.
The court refused the application to adduce further evidence and dismissed the appeal against conviction, finding that the jury's verdicts were reasonable considering the evidence presented. The appellant's appeal against the sentences was also denied. The imposed sentences included 18 months for deprivation of liberty, three years for the second count of rape, nine years each for the subsequent rape charges, and 12 months for attempting to pervert the course of justice. A total of 795 days of pre-sentence custody was declared as time served; however, an additional 847 days were not counted, as the appellant was serving a prior sentence during that period. The court upheld the trial judge's decisions on sentencing and pre-sentence custody, concluding that the sentences were appropriate and not manifestly excessive.