Where an accused pleads not guilty to an original indictment and subsequently pleads guilty to a fresh indictment that does not significantly differ from the original charge, the plea is properly characterised as late for the purposes of the utilitarian discount, notwithstanding that it was entered at the first opportunity on the fresh indictment. Sentencing judges should, where possible, make explicit the extent of the discount allowed for a guilty plea.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 5 later cases that cite this judgment.
1 of the 5 citing cases carry a classified treatment. How each court treated it is available to signed-in members.