Sentences of 7 years and 5 years 6 months imprisonment for vessel skippers facilitating the entry of 282 and 180 unlawful non-citizens respectively were upheld as within the range of sound sentencing discretion under s 232A of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), with starting points less than half the 20-year maximum. General deterrence is a dominant consideration in sentencing for people smuggling offences given their prevalence and difficulty of detection. The number of passengers carried is a significant factor affecting sentence. Even low-level facilitators whose role is vital to the enterprise warrant significant punishment.
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