Where an offender is found to have been suffering from a depressive disorder at the time of committing murder, the principle of general deterrence must be moderated to reflect the extent of the illness, even where the illness falls short of legal insanity. Advanced age is a relevant sentencing consideration as each year of custody represents a substantial proportion of remaining life expectancy, but age alone cannot justify a manifestly inadequate sentence. Expert psychiatric opinions based on incomplete information may properly be given limited weight by the sentencing judge.
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