The established sentencing range for spousal manslaughter based on diminished responsibility with a guilty plea is ordinarily eight to ten years imprisonment. A serious violent offender declaration under s 161B(3) is not warranted where mitigating features include a timely guilty plea, remorse, the nature of the diminished responsibility, and positive response to treatment. Where diminished responsibility reduces moral culpability, deterrence and denunciation are of lesser significance, and the most relevant sentencing purposes are community protection and punishment.
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