A gambling addiction does not significantly mitigate the seriousness of social security fraud, even where the addiction is rooted in tragic personal circumstances such as domestic violence and social isolation. The dissent's distinction between the addiction itself and its underlying causes was not accepted by the majority. Age alone (here, 68 years) does not prevent an otherwise appropriate custodial sentence for social security fraud, and the qualifying age for the aged pension does not constitute a special circumstance negating general deterrence.
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