A combination of youth, recurrent depressive disorder caused by life trauma, substantial rehabilitation, remorse, good employment prospects, compliance with bail conditions, voluntary community service and completion of a rehabilitation course does not amount to 'exceptional circumstances' justifying departure from a custodial sentence for drug trafficking to a substantial degree. The case confirms that subjective features commonly encountered in drug supply cases — even when individually strong and present in combination — do not constitute exceptional circumstances unless the aggregate points to a case of 'real difference from the general run of cases'.
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