Where an offender disputes facts in the Prosecution Opening on a guilty plea, the prosecution must prove those facts beyond reasonable doubt by admissible evidence; the sentencing judge cannot rely on the bare Prosecution Opening. A conviction on a single sentencing occasion cannot serve both as the qualifying offence making an offender a 'serious sexual offender' under s 6B(2) of the Sentencing Act 1991 and as the 'relevant offence' for which the offender is sentenced as such.
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