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{\*\generator Microsoft Word 10.0.6612;}{\info{\title IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FIJI}{\author blake_r}{\operator blake_r}{\creatim\yr2005\mo2\dy16\hr8\min34}{\revtim\yr2005\mo2\dy16\hr8\min34}{\version2}{\edmins2}{\nofpages2}{\nofwords510}{\nofchars2907}
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{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15416446 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FIJI
\par }{\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 Appellate Jurisdiction
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15416446 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15416446 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 Criminal Appeal No. 74 of 1978
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15416446 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15416446 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 Between:
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15416446 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 RAJENDRA SINGH
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 S/}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446 O}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446  GANPAT SINGH}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630 
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15416446 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 and
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\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 This is an appeal against the conviction of the appellant on the 7th July 1978
 at Suva Magistrates Court of causing death by dangerous driving contrary to section 269(1) of the Penal Code.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630 
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 The facts are straightforward and uncontested. On the morning of the 27th October 1977 the appellant was driving his motorcycle on Kings Road in the direction of Suva }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 and was passing some buses which were stationary at a bus stop on his nearside when a young girl started running across }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 the road from between the buses into his pat}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630 h. As one witness put it, she "}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 shot out" from between the buses, when the appellant was no more than four yards from her.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 The appellant, who was driving his motorcycle in second ge
ar at 20 miles an hour, applied his brakes immediately upon seeing the girl but she ran into the nearside handlebar of the motorcycle, knocking the appellant from the motorcycle which fell on his left leg. The girl also fell down, but then stood up and co
ntinued running across the road. Thereafter she was taken to the Colonial}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 
War Memorial Hospital, as was the appellant for treatment of his injured leg.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630 
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid4408630\charrsid15416446 On or about the 5th November 1977 the girl died at the hospital from brain damage - caused perhaps by her head having come into contact with the road surface at the time of the}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446  accident. However this is no more than an inference, in the absence of any prosecution evidence relating to the girl from the time she was taken to hospital on the 27th October until t
he time of the post mortem examination on the 7th November and in the absence of any medical opinion as to the cause of the brain damage; but in the event it is not necessary for this Court to decide whether such an inference is justified.}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446 
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 
\par The trial Magist
rate, in convicting the appellant, took the view that in driving past the stationary buses at 20 miles an hour the appellant was travelling too fast to avoid the girl when she ran into the road and collided with his motorcycle, and that this was dangerous
 
driving which caused her death. It is axiomatic that had the appellant not driven past the stationary buses at 20 miles an hour the accident would not have occurred - nor would it have occurred had the appellant not driven at all that day. But that is not
 the test. A court must not work backwards from the death of a pedestrian, however tragic, and conclude that, because the pedestrian died as the result of a collision with a vehicle, the driver must be criminally liable.
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446 
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 The proper test is whether the prose
cution have established beyond reasonable doubt that, viewed objectively, a potentially dangerous situation arose resulting in the death of the pedestrian and that one of the causes of that situation was the faulty manner of the accused's driving which fe
ll below the standard of care or skill of a competent and experienced driver (}{\fs24\ul\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 R. v. Hennigan}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446  
(1971) 3 All E.R. 133; }{\fs24\ul\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 R. v. Gosney}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446  (1971) 3 All E.R. 220).}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446 
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 
\par It is clear from the facts and the Crown concedes that in this case the dangerous situation was brought about solely by the reckless behaviour of the pedestrian and that there was no contributory fault on the part of the appellant.
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446 
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 The conviction is accordingly quashed and the sentence set aside.
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446 
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 Suva,
\par 22nd September 1978.
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15416446 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15416446\charrsid15416446 Clifford H. Grant
\par Chief Justice
\par }}