An offender's brief absence from the jurisdiction that does not materially retard the police investigation, and time spent in genuine plea negotiations, should not reduce the mitigating weight to be given to delay between offending and sentence. A sentencing judge who limits the significance of delay on such bases falls into error. However, error in the treatment of delay does not necessarily result in a different sentence where the sentence imposed is otherwise moderate having regard to the gravity of the offending.
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