A combination of youth (18 years), excellent rehabilitation prospects demonstrated by subsequent academic achievement, parity with juvenile co-offenders who received non-custodial sentences, and other mitigating factors including loss of sporting career and vulnerability to peer influence can constitute 'most exceptional circumstances' justifying departure from the general requirement of full-time custody for armed robbery, even where the offence was committed while on bail for a related offence. However, the Court regarded the specific non-custodial sentence imposed (community service) as excessively lenient, suggesting periodic detention of up to three years would have been more appropriate.
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