Positive victim impact statements expressing forgiveness and seeking leniency for the offender are relevant sentencing considerations and must not be treated as irrelevant. However, in serious culpable driving cases where general and specific deterrence and denunciation are paramount, such statements may not carry significant weight. The weight to be attached to positive victim impact statements is a matter of discretion depending on the circumstances of each case, including the seriousness of the offence.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 11 later cases that cite this judgment.
2 of the 11 citing cases carry a classified treatment. How each court treated it is available to signed-in members.