A total effective sentence of 8 years 9 months' imprisonment for seven historical sexual offences against an adopted daughter aged 8-12 and one offence against a 15-year-old niece is within the sound discretionary range. General deterrence remains an important sentencing consideration in historical intra-familial sexual abuse cases notwithstanding the passage of time and the offender's advanced age. The second limb of the totality principle (crushing sentence) requires evidence that the offender would die in gaol or be released with no reasonable expectation of a useful life.
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