The Court of Appeal held that a sentence of three and a half years imprisonment (suspended after 12 months) for dangerous driving causing two deaths and grievous bodily harm to a third person was not manifestly excessive, even where the offender had no prior criminal or traffic history, pleaded guilty early, and demonstrated genuine remorse. The Court confirmed that the consequences of dangerous driving — including the number of deaths and severity of injuries — are a legitimate and significant factor in sentencing under s 328A, and that a sentencing judge does not err by imposing a sentence above the three-year mark identified in R v Wilson where the consequences are more devastating. The Court reiterated that a minimum of 18 months imprisonment, usually involving actual custody, is to be expected where death results from dangerous driving, but that substantially longer terms are not outside the range where the facts warrant it.
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