Where a father murders his children with the motive of punishing his estranged wife, that motive heightens the need for denunciation and general deterrence and distinguishes the case from other family multiple killings. A jury's rejection of the defence of substantial mental impairment under s 23A of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) does not preclude the sentencing judge from finding reduced culpability for murder by reason of mental state, but the appropriate reflection of that reduced culpability may be to refrain from imposing the maximum penalty rather than to further reduce the sentence.
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