Where an offender's mental disorder contributed to the commission of the offence, the moral culpability of the offender is lessened, general deterrence should be given less weight, and personal deterrence may also be diminished. However, these mitigating factors must be balanced against the seriousness of the offending, and a sentencing judge is entitled to treat psychiatric opinions with reservation where the offender's conduct is inconsistent with those opinions. A total sentence of 12 years' imprisonment for extortion of $2,000,000, kidnapping, and threats to kill was held not manifestly excessive despite significant psychiatric mitigation.
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