The parity principle must be applied even where the co-offender's sentence is arguably manifestly inadequate. The Crown's failure to appeal a co-offender's lenient sentence may undermine its ability to resist a parity argument. Where co-offenders act in concert, the sentencing judge's finding of differential culpability must be supported by the evidence and the Crown's position, and factors such as third-party hardship that do not amount to exceptional circumstances cannot justify a marked disparity.
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