When imposing an aggregate sentence under s 53A of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, a sentencing judge is not required to accumulate indicative sentences sequentially or to undertake a 'shadow exercise' translating indicative sentences into a total sentence by reference to Pearce v The Queen principles. The only operative sentence is the aggregate sentence; indicative sentences have no practical operation and serve transparency purposes only. The principle of totality operates at the level of the aggregate sentence, not through mechanical accumulation of indicative sentences.
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