Life imprisonment is an appropriate starting point for attempted murder involving a coldly calculated, gang-motivated attack with extreme violence, even where the offender was not the prime mover. The requirement under s 13 of the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 to take a guilty plea into account does not fetter the sentencing discretion to impose life imprisonment. A reduction from life to 12 years (approximately 40% of a notional 20-year equivalent) may be appropriate where the offender faces very significant ongoing risk from s 13A cooperation undertakings.
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