A guilty plea may be taken into account by setting the head sentence rather than by fixing an early parole eligibility date. Where the sentence imposed accords with the position taken by defence counsel at first instance, leave to appeal on the ground of manifest excess will usually be refused absent exceptional or special circumstances. A sentence of six years' imprisonment with no early parole eligibility date and no serious violent offender declaration was within range for gratuitous street violence involving weapons, multiple victims, and grievous bodily harm by an 18-year-old first offender.
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