Where an offender has spent substantial time in pre-sentence custody that is not declarable (due to concurrent detention under the DPSOA), full credit should be given by reducing the head sentence. Where an offender has poor prospects of rehabilitation, a late guilty plea is better reflected in a slight reduction of the head sentence rather than setting an early parole eligibility date. The double-edged sword principle from Veen [No 2] may result in reduced moral culpability from mental abnormality being entirely cancelled out by community protection considerations.
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