Sam Pararajasingham

Criminal Barrister (SC)

Sam Pararajasingham appears in complex criminal trials as well as appeals against conviction and sentence in appellate jurisdictions.

A substantial part of Sam’s practice is criminal defence work in the area of commercial crime. This includes criminal prosecutions and other proceedings arising out of investigations by the AFP, ASIC, ACCC and other regulatory bodies.

Sam also advises directors and corporations regarding criminal liability under State and Federal legislation. This currently includes advice relating to the Sanctions Regime.

Sam has been consistently listed as a Leading Criminal Law Barrister by Doyle’s Guide, as well as a Leading White Collar Criminal Law and Regulatory Investigations Barrister. He has also been ranked in The Legal 500’s listing as leading counsel for the “Crime and regulatory (including white-collar crime)” category.

Recent Notable Cases

Sam is presently briefed in a prosecution against individuals charged with offences related to the provision of false and misleading information in relation to the affairs of a corporation, contrary to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth): R v Sundaraj & Ors.

Sam recently successfully defended an accused in a foreign bribery conspiracy prosecution: R v Sornalingam Ragavan.

Sam is presently briefed for an accused in a complex money laundering prosecution in the ACT: Shane Anthony Scott v Benjamin Joseph Aulich and Michael Papandrea.

In 2022, Sam successfully defended an accused in a foreign bribery conspiracy prosecution in the Supreme Court of NSW: R v Dougas; R v Read; R v Linke.

In 2022, Sam successfully defended an individual accused in the banking cartel prosecution in the Federal Court of Australia: CDPP v Citigroup & Others.

In 2021, Sam appeared for the accused in a prosecution for contravening a UN Sanction Enforcement law in the Supreme Court of NSW: R v BB.

Sam has also advised and appeared in various statutory commissions of inquiry, including the ICAC, the Police Integrity Commission, ASIC and the Australian and NSW Crime Commissions. Most recently, Sam appeared in ICAC on behalf of key individuals in Operations Mantis (2024), Galley (2022), Keppel (2020–2021) and Dasha (2020–2021). Sam was also recently briefed for an interested party in the ACT Board of Inquiry into the Criminal Justice System, as well as an interested party in the inaugural public hearings conducted by the ACT Integrity Commission in Operation Kingfisher.

Appeals

Sam further appears in the Court of Criminal Appeal and High Court. Recent notable appellate cases include:

Breen v R [2025] NSWCCA 182 – appeal against sentence for double murder to the Court of Criminal Appeal concerning various errors by the sentencing judge, including erroneous treatment of aggravating factors. Sam appeared leading Rachel Thampapillai.

Shortland v R [2024] NSWCCA 174 – appeal against sentence on the ground that a miscarriage of justice was occasioned by the failure of the applicant’s legal representatives to present evidence from a psychologist at the sentence hearing. Sam appeared leading Caitlin Akthar.

Bott v R [2023] NSWCCA 255 – appeal against sentence to the Court of Criminal Appeal concerning the application of Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v Maxwell (2013) 228 A Crim R 218; [2013] VSCA 50 to a manifest excess ground. Sam was led by Phil Strickland SC.

Restricted judgment [2023] NSWCCA 164 – appeal against conviction to the Court of Criminal Appeal concerning reasonable doubt as to the existence of a joint criminal enterprise or an extended joint criminal enterprise to murder. Sam was led by Stephen Odgers SC.

R v AB; R v CD; R v EF [2023] NSWCCA 168 – briefed for respondents in Crown appeal concerning questions of law arising at or in connection with trial. Sam appeared unled.

Tiriaki v R [2023] NSWCCA 73 – appeal against conviction to the Court of Criminal Appeal concerning fresh evidence following murder conviction. Sam was led by Murugan Thangaraj SC.

Kemal v R [2022] NSWCCA 83 – appeal against sentence to the Court of Criminal Appeal concerning proper application of section 5.4 of the Criminal Code (Cth). Sam appeared unled.

MN v R [2022] NSWCCA 78 – appeal against sentence to the Court of Criminal Appeal about whether the sentencing judge failed to properly take into account the applicant’s mental disorders. Sam was led by Stephen Odgers SC.

SY v R [2020] NSWCCA 320 – appeal against sentence to the Court of Criminal Appeal concerning assessment of objective seriousness and discount for assistance. Sam was led by Murugan Thangaraj SC.

Sidaros v R (No.2) [2020] ACTCA 39 –

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