When sentencing is delayed through no fault of the offender and significant rehabilitation has occurred during the period on bail, the Cockerell principles require the sentencing court to treat delay and rehabilitation as a powerful mitigating factor. It is not necessary to attribute blame for the delay; the absence of fault on the part of the accused is sufficient. Credit for early pleas of guilty must be given separately from any discount for delay. The nature and extent of police involvement in provoking trafficking activity through covert operations is relevant only to the characterisation of the conduct, not as an aggravating or mitigating factor.
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