22: Sentencing principles Flashcards
Purposes of sentencing:
- Punishment
- Reduction of crime
- Reform and rehabilitation
- Protection of public
- Reparation
The purpose of sentencing does not apply to:
This does NOT apply to D under 18 at date conviction.
ancillary orders, financial penalty
Court MUST consider which 5 purposes of sentencing it seeks to achieve.
Sentence includes:
Every court MUST in sentencing, follow sentencing guidelines unless,
contrary to interests of justice.
The guidelines applies to D’s older than 18.
SENTENCING
Court having regard to young offender must regard:
- Prevent offending C/YP;
- To have regard to welfare of C/YP
SENTENCING
STEP 1: Where no definitive sentencing guidelines, the court should:
- Look at statutory maximum
- Judgments of CA; and
- Definitive sentencing guidelines
Court should NOT take into account draft sentencing guidelines.
Sentencing
must the court take into account draft sentencing guidelines?
Court should NOT take into account draft sentencing guidelines.
SENTENCING
STEP 1:
The court should look at the seriousness =
- Culpability of D;
- Harm caused
Harm and culpability should NOT take account of plea/previous conviction.
SENTENCING
STEP 2: Aggravating + mitigating factors
Once provisional sentence arrived, look at mitigation.
A fine should meet obj of punishment.
Factors increasing seriousness include:
- Offence committed on bail
- Prevalence
- Previous convictions, having regard to nature + relevance and time elapsed.
SENTENCING
STEP 2: Aggravating + mitigating factors
Once provisional sentence arrived, look at mitigation.
A fine should meet obj of punishment.
Factors reducing seriousness include:
- Good character
- Cooperation
- No previous conviction.
SENTENCING
What is
STEP 3:
Consider factors for reduction for assistance to pros
CONSIDER AGGRAVATING AND MITIGATING FACTORS
SENTENCING
What is
STEP 4:
Reduction for guilty plea
SENTENCING
What is
STEP 5:
Court should consider if appropriate to impose life sentence/extended sentence
SENTENCING
What is
STEP 6:
Totality principle – consider if total sentence is just and proportionate
CONSIDER TIME SPENT IN CUSTOD
SENTENCING
What is
STEP 7:
Compensation + ancillary orders
SENTENCING
What is
STEP 8:
Court MUST give reasons + explain effect of sentence.
SENTENCING
SERIOUSNESS OF OFFENCE – In considering seriousness, court MUST consider:
- D’s culpability; and
- Any harm the offence caused
Once provisional sentence arrived at, court takes into account factors making offence more/less serious.
SENTENCING
What is
STEP 1:
ASSESS SERIOUSNESS Consider how serious the offence is, in terms of culpability and harm.
SENTENCING
What is
STEP 2:
SELECT SENTENCING RANGE Select the sentencing range having regard, where applicable, to: the range of appropriate sentences set out in any relevant sentencing guidelines; any relevant guideline judgments; and any relevant legislation, including any maximum and minimum sentence, the powers of the court, and any statutory presumptions relating to sentencing.
REQUIRED REDUCTION IN SENTENCE
The guideline applies only to
What and not others?
The guideline applies only to punitive elements of sentence, NOT ancillary orders.
REQUIRED REDUCTION IN SENTENCE
When MUST the court state a certain fact?
Where court imposes punishment on D less severe than otherwise would have, it MUST state the fact.
Maximum level of reduction in sentence for guilty plea
First stage of proceedings
1/3 reduction
Maximum level of reduction in sentence for guilty plea
Plea of guilty after first stage of proceedings
¼ reduction
Maximum level of reduction in sentence for guilty plea
First day of trial
1/10th reduction
Maximum level of reduction in sentence for guilty plea
During course of trial
decreased further, up to zero
When is the plea normally sought and recorded?
at first stage
Is there a sliding scale between reductions of one third and one quarter.
NO sliding scale
The reduction in sentence only applies to X of sentence (e.g. CS), NOT
only applies to punitive elements of sentence (e.g. CS), NOT rehabilitative sentence, e.g ancillary orders.
Benefits of guilty plea apply regardless of strength of evidence against D.
AGGREVATING FACTORS:
Previous convictions
In considering seriousness, court MUST or MAY treat each previous conviction as an aggravating factor if reasonable to the:
MUST
- Nature of offence
- Time that has elapsed since conviction
Aggravating factors:
The following are aggravating factors:
- Previous conviction
- Offending on bail
- Racial or religious aggravation = MUST state in open court offence so aggravated. This does not apply to:
- Certain aggravated assaults
- Terrorist connection
- Aggravation to disability, sexual orientation or transgender identify
Aggravating factors affecting seriousness should always be taken into account when deciding if
offence is “serious enough” to warrant community sentence or “so serious” that neither fine nor community sentence can be justified.
- Exception for reduction for a guilty plea*
1. Where court is satisfied, circumstances reduced D’s ability:
X
Then a reduction should be made even though guilty plea indicated after first hearing.
When should a reduction should be made even though guilty plea indicated after first hearing. ?
- Where court is satisfied, circumstances reduced D’s ability:
- To understand what was alleged; or
- Unreasonable to expect D to indicate guilty plea sooner.
Exception for reduction for a guilty plea
- Where court is satisfied, circumstances reduced D’s ability:
- To understand what was alleged; or
- Unreasonable to expect D to indicate guilty plea sooner.
Then a reduction should be made even though guilty plea indicated after first hearing.
- Where D’s version of events - rejected at Newton hearing
The reduction which would have been available should be halved. Where witnesses are called, it may be ok to further decrease reduction.
- If D convicted of less offence than originally charged + made unequivocal indication of guilty to lesser offence = could should give this reduction
Terrorist connection == when considering seriousness, if it appears offence has terrorist connection, court MUST determine:
- If this is the case; and
- If so, it MUST treat it as aggravating; and
- MUST state in open court it is
Aggravation related to Disability, SO and Trans = When considering seriousness, if
x
Court MUST hold it is an aggregating factor
When considering seriousness, if
- At the time, or immediately before, offender demonstrated towards victim hostility based on
- Sexual orientation
- Disability
- Transgender
Or
- The offence was motivated by this.
If so, court MUST = aggravating factor and MUST state in open court.
Transgender = includes
undergoing, proposing to undergo, having undergone gender reassignment.
Aggravating factors affecting seriousness should always be taken into account when deciding if
offence is “serious enough” to warrant community sentence or “so serious” that neither fine nor community sentence can be justified
Pre-sentence reports = Court should obtain pre-sentence report
WHEN?
BEFORE making decision to impose custodial or community sentence.
Court has discretion to dispense WITH bpre-sentence report where:
UNNECESSARY
Is it mandatory to have a pre-sentence report?
Court has discretion to dispense where UNNECESSARY. But where D under 18, it is MANDATORY!.
Will a sentence be invalidated if there is no pre-sentence report?
No sentence = invalidated from failure, but on appeal, appellate court MUST obtain + consider one.
MITIGATION
Even if offence was so serious that community sentence not normally justified, court may take personal mit into account + pass community sentence. Appropriate to suspend custodial sentence if:
- Realistic prospect of rehabilitation
- Strong personal mitigation; and
- Immediate custody result in significant harmful impact on others
PREVALENCE
Seriousness should be judged on
harm and culpability.
PREVALENCE
Seriousness should be judged on harm and culpability. In exceptional circs, court may hold local prevalence influence sentencing levels. Essential sentences have:
- Supporting evidence from external source of prevalence
- Compelling need to treat offence more seriously.
If judge can treat prevalence as aggravating factor, judge MUST be satisfied level of harm significantly higher than elsewhere.
Victim Personal statement = This ensures court considers personal impact of offence.
WHat must/may it include
. It is NOT an opp for V to discuss type/level sentence. V MUST have info making clear they MAY make statement, but no oblig. An absence of victim personal statement DOES NOT indicate absence of harm.
What is the totality principle?
TOTALITY PRINCIPLE
- All courts when sentence for more than 1 offence, should pass total sentence, which is just and proportionate.
- Necessary to address offending behaviour
Mentally disordered offenders – Where D is or appears to be mentally disordered, court MUST
obtain and consider a medical report before passing custodial sentence, but not where UNNECESSARY. Ordering medical report does not displace need to order a pre-sentence report.
ARRAIGNMENT AND PLEAS
If D has no genuine choice for pleading guilty = plea is
plea is nullity + conviction will be quashed on appeal.
ARRAIGNMENT AND PLEAS
When will a plea be nullity and conviction quashed on appeal?
If D has no genuine choice for pleading guilty