The notion of recency in the doctrine of recent possession is an elastic concept depending on the nature of the property; for motor vehicles, the degree of recency need not be nearly as close to the theft as for more common items. Complaints about summing up deficiencies that are matters of detail or clarification, and which could easily have been cured if raised at trial, will not be permitted on appeal under Rule 4 of the Criminal Appeal Rules. Motor vehicle rebirthing involving stolen cars, false compliance plates and false engine numbers is a serious offence warranting significant full-time custodial sentences.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 14 later cases that cite this judgment.
2 of the 14 citing cases carry a classified treatment. How each court treated it is available to signed-in members.