A sentence of three years imprisonment with parole after 12 months is within the appropriate range for a gratuitous, unprovoked assault causing grievous bodily harm where the offender struck the victim from behind with a weapon and continued to punch the victim while helpless on the ground, causing serious facial injuries. The sentencing range of three to four years identified in R v Tupou for such offences was applied. Inconsistencies in prosecution witness evidence at a contested sentence hearing do not establish error where the sentencing judge was aware of them and the witnesses' versions remained essentially the same on the essential matters.
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