Prior good character must be assessed in two stages: first, whether the offender is of otherwise good character (ignoring the offences being sentenced); second, the weight to be given to that character, which may be diminished where the offending involves repetitious and substantial criminal conduct over an extended period. The youthfulness of an offender is relevant to the total term of sentence, not merely to the non-parole period. Sentencing judges assessing objective seriousness relative to the mid-range should indicate the degree to which the offence falls above or below mid-range using terms such as 'slightly above', 'significantly above' or 'substantially above'.
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