A Longman direction need not enumerate all conceivable specific forensic disadvantages; it is sufficient to give examples that illustrate the character of the prejudice arising from substantial delay. Forensic disadvantages that would have required investigation within hours or days of the alleged offences are not the consequence of the type of delay to which a Longman warning is directed. The case also provides a comprehensive review of comparable sentences for intra-familial child sexual offences in Western Australia, with total effective sentences ranging from 7 to 16 years.
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