Sentencing Bench Book September 2025 update

Update 64 amends the Bench Book to update and revise various chapters and incorporate recent case law and legislative developments. The following chapters have been revised:

Fines

• [6-140] Default provisions updated to replace the Fines Regulation 2015 (repealed) with the Fines Regulation 2025, which commenced on 1 September 2025.

Standard non-parole period offences and Appeals chapters

• [7-950] Fixed terms and aggregate sentences and [70-035] Appellate review of an aggregate sentence — updated to replace the citation Decision Restricted [2024] NSWCCA 139 (previously restricted) with its derestricted citation, DPP (NSW) v Q (a pseudonym) [2024] NSWCCA 139.

Sexual offences against children

• [17-400] Summary of relevant considerations to add reference to the requirement, in certain circumstances, to make a registrable person order (RPO) under the Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000 (the Act).
• A new paragraph, Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000, has been added at [17-540] to provide commentary in relation to the child protection offender registration schemes in Pt 2A of the Act, including the RPO scheme which commenced on 29 September 2025.