In the case of R v MEC [2024] QCA 203 in the Supreme Court of Queensland, the appellant, MEC, challenged both his conviction and sentence from a trial in the District Court. MEC was initially convicted on March 13, 2023, for three counts of indecent treatment with circumstances of aggravation and seven counts of rape, all involving his daughter as the complainant. Allegations included incidents commencing when the complainant was six years old, constituting a severe betrayal of trust. Despite some evidence discrepancies, the jury found the complainant's testimony credible, leading to MEC's conviction. On appeal, MEC contended that the trial judge's jury directions were insufficient and argued that the verdicts were unreasonable given the evidence, but the Court of Appeal dismissed these claims, finding no miscarriage of justice. Additionally, the appellant argued that the sentence was manifestly excessive. However, the Court upheld the original sentencing, emphasizing the seriousness and duration of the offenses, ultimately dismissing the appeal and refusing leave to appeal the sentence.
Full text: https://www.sclqld.org.au/caselaw/150170