A sentencing judge who compares the applicant's role and circumstances with those of a co-offender, and then synthesises all considerations to arrive at an appropriate sentence, does not engage in two-stage sentencing merely because the comparison is articulated in the sentencing remarks. Where a very large number of co-offenders are sentenced by different judges, a practical and pragmatic approach to parity is required. Parity considerations can justify reducing a sentence but cannot be used to uplift a sentence beyond what the judge considers appropriate on all other grounds.
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