Where an offender develops a mental illness caused by their reaction to the consequences of their offending — such as shame, guilt and remorse following a death caused by dangerous driving — that illness will not constitute past or additional (extra-curial) punishment for sentencing purposes, regardless of its severity. However, such a condition remains powerfully relevant through the fifth and sixth Verdins principles and as evidence of remorse. The Verdins principles are not exhaustive of the ways mental illness can impact sentencing. The position in New South Wales on this issue is acknowledged to be 'somewhat different'.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 15 later cases that cite this judgment.
3 of the 15 citing cases carry a classified treatment. How each court treated it is available to signed-in members.