Where an offender's mental state at the time of offending was contributed to by self-induced intoxication through abuse of alcohol and drugs, the case differs from one where the mental disturbance was due purely to an underlying abnormality of mind. The mitigating effect of the mental condition is appropriately tempered by the self-induced element, but general deterrence should still be given reduced weight where there is a genuine underlying mental disorder. The sentence for a very serious armed robbery (loaded shotgun, balaclava, demand for money with threat to shoot) with Form 1 offences was reduced from six years to five years where the sentencing judge gave undue weight to general deterrence.
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