A sentencing judge is not obliged to obtain a pre-sentence report solely because the offender is a youthful offender; the obligation arises only if the judge is considering a Youth Training Centre order. The principles in R v Tsiaras ameliorating general deterrence on account of mental illness do not apply where the offender displays personality traits or a 'schizoid trend' falling short of a formal mental disorder diagnosis. Rehabilitation of youthful offenders, while usually far more important than general deterrence, is not an immutable principle and may be subjugated to other sentencing objectives where the offences are sufficiently serious and the offender's record demonstrates that lesser sanctions have been ineffective.
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