In the ACT, a 25% discount for a guilty plea under s 35 of the Crimes (Sentencing) Act 2005 is generally reserved for pleas entered at an early stage; a plea entered in the Supreme Court after committal but before a trial date is set will typically attract a discount of around 15-17%, not 25%. Remorse is a separate sentencing consideration under s 33(1)(w) and must not be factored into the guilty plea discount. Where negotiations result in an amended indictment with fewer charges, the timing of the plea is assessed by reference to the original charge date, not the date the indictment was finalised. There is no practice or principle in the ACT that offenders who do not represent a direct danger to the community should receive a relatively short nonparole period; ordinarily, the nonparole period should constitute a substantial part of the total sentence.
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