Breach of protective bail conditions designed to protect a child complainant is an aggravating factor of the utmost seriousness in child sexual abuse sentencing, warranting particular emphasis on general deterrence. The complicity of a non-offending parent in facilitating continued offending, the transmission of venereal disease to the victim, and the severity of psychological harm are all factors that can elevate a case to the most serious category. The earlier sentencing range of 6-8 years (pre-transitional) for anal penetration of a child identified in LSC is no longer reliable. In an exceptionally serious case of child sexual offending against a single victim with a guilty plea, a total effective sentence of 12-13 years' imprisonment may be appropriate.
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