The two limbs of the totality principle are restated: first, that the aggregate sentence must be a just and appropriate measure of total criminality; second, that the sentence must not ordinarily be 'crushing' by depriving the offender of any reasonable expectation of useful life after release. Repeated armed robberies by a career criminal fall into the category of offences where advanced age carries little if any weight in mitigation of penalty. The Court expressed a preference for the 'rehabilitation and reduced retribution' rationale over the 'exponential severity' theory for the first limb.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 6 later cases that cite this judgment.
3 of the 6 citing cases carry a classified treatment. How each court treated it is available to signed-in members.