A sentence of six years imprisonment for two counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12 (touching the child's penis on two occasions close in time, without premeditation, violence, or abuse of trust) was manifestly excessive even for a recidivist sexual offender with multiple prior convictions for similar offences. The appropriate sentence was three years imprisonment. The case confirms that prior criminal history, while an aggravating factor, cannot be given such weight as to produce a sentence disproportionate to the gravity of the current offending.
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