A sentencing judge must have regard to relevant contents of a victim impact statement, including evidence of forgiveness or support, but where the offence occurs in a domestic violence context, evidence of forgiveness should be treated with extreme caution given the well-documented pattern of perpetrators expressing penitence and victims reconciling before further violence. A favourable victim impact statement cannot usurp the sentencing function. General deterrence remains a very important sentencing principle in domestic violence cases.
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