Delay between the commencement of a police investigation and the laying of charges does not operate as a mitigating factor in sentencing where the delay is explicable by the complexity of the investigation and the offender has not discharged the evidential burden of establishing detriment on the balance of probabilities. Before delay can attract mitigatory weight, the reasons for the delay must be considered, and the delay must be shown to be unexplained, unreasonable, or inordinate.
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