When assessing objective seriousness under the standard non-parole period regime for joint enterprise drug offences, the sentencing judge must consider each offender individually in respect of their motivation, mens rea, actions and role, not merely the seriousness of the overall operation. Heroin purity levels of 26-33.5% cannot be characterised as 'high' given published research indicating average purity of 25-30%. The parity principle requires an appreciable difference in sentences where one co-offender was on conditional liberty and the other was not, but the Court of Criminal Appeal will not intervene to reduce a sentence on parity grounds where the result would be a sentence disproportionate to the offender's criminality.
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