Delay between confession/offending and sentence is a 'powerful mitigating factor' that must be taken into account even if not raised on the plea, where the delay is obvious and the failure to consider it causes a miscarriage of justice. Aggravating factors must be established beyond reasonable doubt and cannot rest solely on a victim impact statement. Long-standing depression and anxiety pre-dating the offending may reduce moral culpability under Verdins principles even where general deterrence remains relevant.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 42 later cases that cite this judgment.
2 of the 42 citing cases carry a classified treatment. How each court treated it is available to signed-in members.