The parity principle requires that where a co-offender has provided significantly valuable assistance to authorities in the prosecution of other co-offenders, the sentencing court must ensure that the resulting sentence clearly and distinctly differentiates that offender from co-offenders who did not cooperate. A discount for cooperation must reflect both the benefit to the administration of justice and the risk to the cooperating offender. Admissions that are essential to establishing elements of the offence (such as ownership of drugs and intention to sell) attract the principle in R v Doran and warrant additional mitigation.
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