The parity principle does not require similar sentences where co-offenders' personal circumstances justify different sentencing regimes (custodial vs non-custodial). Where a co-offender's youth, clean record and suitability for a community-based order justify a non-custodial sentence, the gap between that and a custodial sentence for the other co-offender does not of itself establish manifest disparity. Armed robbery on soft targets remains a serious offence requiring sentences reflecting general and specific deterrence even where the offender is drug-addicted.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 2 later cases that cite this judgment.