A sentencing judge who departs from the maximum guilty plea discount under s 10C of the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act 1988 (SA) should provide reasons for the departure, even where the departure is small (here, 3.33%). Failure to do so may constitute error warranting appellate intervention. However, the Chief Justice's dissent leaves open whether very small departures without reasons constitute appealable error, particularly where the plea was not entered at the earliest opportunity.
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