A solicitor is not to be equated to a police officer for the purpose of increased general deterrence in sentencing; solicitors are prima facie no more in need of the law's protection than any other member of society. The special category of victims warranting increased general deterrence remains confined to police officers and kindred emergency service workers, and should not be lightly extended to other groups even if their work bears some analogy to that of police officers. Where an offender has an acquired brain injury, chronic depression and paranoia, and the offending is reactive rather than premeditated, the sentence should be moderated to reflect reduced moral culpability even where the offender was fully aware of and had full control over his actions.
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