21 Jun 2000
The Court upheld the conviction because the tape-recorded and corroborated evidence established the applicant's dishonest intention and attempt to obtain US$100,000; there was no entrapment and the two-year sentence was not manifestly excessive in all the circumstances.
19 May 1987
The victim's credible testimony together with the tape-recorded conversation constituted clear evidence of demands with menaces that would influence a person of ordinary firmness; therefore convictions for blackmail were upheld and the three-year sentence was not manifestly excessive given the serious nature of protection/extortion offences.
12 Jul 1980
Conspiracy convictions were quashed because the trial judge failed to resolve an equally viable alternative inference (a conspiracy to defraud) leaving the conspiracy finding unsafe; convictions for incitement to conspire were upheld because incitement is complete where the defendant reaches and seeks to influence the mind of the incitee and requires intention/recklessness to influence rather than proof of a pre-existing conspiracy or completion of the substantive offence; sentencing was re-opened and reduced to reflect true culpability (first appellant 15 months, second appellant 9 months).