The sentencing range for serious assault by spitting at a police officer under s 340(b) of the Criminal Code (Qld), where the offender has pleaded guilty and has no relevant criminal history, does not support head sentences significantly exceeding six months. The authorities indicate actual custody in spitting and biting cases with a guilty plea varies between no time served and three months. A sentence approaching 15 months for spitting is reserved for cases involving far more serious offending, such as multiple acts of spitting blood and saliva by offenders with extensive histories of similar assaults.
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