A guilty plea freely made and motivated by hope or expectation of a sentencing discount or other technical advantage remains a true admission of guilt unless the accused adduces evidence that he or she did not intend by the plea to accept guilt for an offence of which he or she believed himself or herself to be guilty. The mere fact that the accused hoped for a lighter sentence does not, without more, entitle the accused to withdraw the plea. The passage in Maxwell v The Queen referring to 'technical advantage' does not create an automatic right to withdraw a plea entered for pragmatic reasons.
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