A trial judge's direction to the jury to consider a witness's 'interest, if any, in the outcome of the case', expressed generally and without excluding the accused, contravenes the Robinson principle even where the direction is part of a list of general factors applicable to all witnesses. The prohibition applies to any direction that even invites evaluation of the accused's evidence by reference to interest in the outcome. For sentencing in sexual offences against children, breach of trust is not confined to intrafamilial or authority relationships but may arise from a factual situation of trust; however, the sentencing judge must still give weight to mitigating factors and state any reduction made under s 8(4) of the Sentencing Act 1995 (WA).
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