Where an offender's mental abnormalities have countervailing effects under R v Verdins — reducing moral culpability but increasing danger to the community due to treatment resistance and risk of re-offending — the moderation of general deterrence does not necessarily result in a significantly reduced sentence. For very serious instances of intentionally causing serious injury (sustained knife attack, 27 stab wounds, unarmed victim in own home), nothing short of a sentence wholly comprised of immediate imprisonment will satisfy the requirements of just punishment, and a CCO combined with the maximum two-year imprisonment is insufficient.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 9 later cases that cite this judgment.
1 of the 9 citing cases carry a classified treatment. How each court treated it is available to signed-in members.