Sentencing Bench Book Update 54 published

Update 54, May 2023

Update 54 amends the Bench Book to incorporate recent case law and legislative developments. The following chapters have been revised:

Intensive correction orders (ICOs) (alternative to full-time imprisonment)

  • The chapter at [3-610] Power to make ICO subject to Pt 5 and following has been revised to incorporate the decisions of Stanley v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2023] HCA 3 and Zheng v R [2023] NSWCCA 64, and remove [3-690] ICOs and home detention orders made before 24 September 2018.

Setting terms of imprisonment

  • [7-507] Settled propositions concerning s 53A to add reference to Benn v R [2023] NSWCCA 24 regarding aggregate sentences where there are multiple offences committed against multiple complainants.

Subjective matters taken into account (cf s 21A(1))

  • [10-430] Age to add references to Liu v R [2023] NSWCCA 30 and Geraghty v R [2023] NSWCCA 47 regarding advanced age as a mitigating factor at sentence.
  • [10-450] Health to move discussion on foetal alcohol spectrum disorder to [10-460] The relevance of an offender’s mental health or cognitive impairment.
  • [10-460] The relevance of an offender’s mental health or cognitive impairment updated and substantially revised, including reference to the following cases:
    • Amante v R [2020] NSWCCA 34 which provides a “classic example” of the requirement to make a “sensitive discretionary decision” in sentencing an offender with a mental health or cognitive impairment
    • Wornes v R [2022] NSWCCA 184, R v SS (a pseudonym) [2022] NSWCCA 258, Choy v R [2023] NSWCCA 23, Blake v R [2021] NSWCCA 258, Anderson v R [2022] NSWCCA 187, DS v R [2022] NSWCCA 156, Moiler v R [2021] NSWCCA 73 and Wang v R [2021] NSWCCA 282 regarding the application of sentencing principles where an offender has a mental health disorder
    • Kapua v R [2023] NSWCCA 14, Wang v R, R v SS (a pseudonym) and Blake v R regarding sentencing of an offender with a mental health disorder who acts with knowledge of what they are doing
    • Eden v R [2023] NSWCCA 31 and Hiemstra v Western Australia [2021] WASCA 96 regarding foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and its relevance in sentencing proceedings.
  • [10-470] Deprived background of offender to add reference to Hiemstra v Western Australia [2021] WASCA 96 regarding the application of the principles in Bugmy v The Queen (2013) 249 CLR 571 where the offender had experienced significant childhood trauma and disadvantage, and had been diagnosed with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
  • [10-570] Deportation to add reference to the CDPP’s recently published Sentencing of federal offenders in Australia: a guide for practitioners, 6th edition, April 2023.