Re-sentencing
99 I have held that:-
1. The third ground of appeal should be upheld in part, in that the sentencing judge in setting non-parole periods in the sentences for the old offences failed to comply with the sentencing practice which existed during the period when the old offences were committed of setting a non-parole period of between one third and one half of the head sentence.
2. The first ground of appeal should be upheld, in that the sentencing judge failed to impose sentences such that the total non-parole periods of the sentences would be no more than approximately three quarters of the total head sentences.
100 To give effect to the upholding in part of the third ground of appeal, the sentences set by the sentencing judge for the old offences could be varied by reducing the non-parole period of each sentence to between one third and one half of the head sentence. A factor which would favour the setting of a non-parole period at the lower end of the available range, that is at about one third of the head sentence, would be that the applicant's commission of the old offences became known only through his voluntary disclosure of his guilt of those offences. However, rather than impose a sentence containing a non-parole period of about one third of the head sentence set by the sentencing judge, together with a parole period of the rest of the head sentence, fixed terms of imprisonment equal to the appropriate non-parole periods can be set, because, if parole periods were set, they would be subsumed in the non-parole periods of subsequent sentences.
101 To give effect to the upholding of the first ground of appeal, it would be necessary to vary the dates on which some of the sentences commence and expire.
102 As I have indicated earlier in this judgment, there are a number of anomalies in the sentences which the sentencing judge imposed on the applicant. Section 7(1A) of the Criminal Appeal Act confers power on the Court of Criminal Appeal, when it quashes or varies the sentence passed by the sentencing judge on any count in an indictment, to quash or vary any sentence imposed by the sentencing judge for any other offence charged in another count in the same indictment. However, in exercising the power conferred in s 7(1A), the Court of Criminal Appeal is constrained by the need to observe the principles of procedural fairness. In the present appeal, although the related questions of whether the sentencing judge had erred in applying the principle of totality (the second ground of appeal) and whether the overall sentence was manifestly excessive (the fifth ground of appeal) were fully argued, relatively little attention was paid to the appropriateness of the sentences for individual offences. I consider that, as a consequence, the power of the court to interfere with the length of the sentences for individual offences is restricted.
103 I do, however, consider that this Court would be entitled to intervene, and should intervene, in relation to the sentence for offence 5. I have already expressed the opinion in this judgment that the sentence for offence 5 was extremely lenient, particularly when the sentencing judge in sentencing for offence 5 was required to take into account the substantial criminality in the three additional offences, and the inadequacy of the sentence for offence 5 was a matter which was raised at the hearing of the application.
104 It is very doubtful that the sentencing judge did in fact take the additional offences into account in sentencing the applicant for offence 5. I have already noted that, when the sentencing judge announced the sentences he was imposing for offences 2, 6 and 7, he said that he had taken the additional offences into account in sentencing for those offences and the sentencing judge maintained the same sentences for offences 2, 6 and 7, even after he had been reminded by counsel that the additional offences were to be taken into account in sentencing for offence 5 and not offences 2, 6 and 7. The sentence the sentencing judge imposed for offence 5 was the same as the sentences his Honour imposed for offences 10 and 12, which were offences of the same kind as offence 5 but which did not involve any additional offences to be taken into account.
105 In my opinion, the sentence for offence 5 should be increased to five years. I hasten to add that the increase in the sentence for offence 5 will not, under the arrangement of sentences I will propose, have the effect of increasing the overall sentence. If the sentence for offence 5 is increased to five years, that sentence can be made the last sentence to be served and can be made to include an extended balance of the term so as to give effect to the upholding of the first ground of appeal.
106 As to the overall length of the sentences, although I have rejected grounds of appeal 2 and 5, I would, because this Court is intervening to some extent, reduce the total length of the sentences from 12 ½ years to 12 years. Although I do not consider that his Honour's assessment of the total criminality of the applicant was outside the permissible range, I would make a somewhat greater allowance than his Honour would appear to have made for the Ellis discount to which the applicant was entitled. I would also, because this Court in intervening and even though I have rejected the fourth ground of appeal, find special circumstances in the circumstances submitted by counsel for the applicant.
107 I do not consider that this Court should seek to vary sentences which the applicant has already completed serving, that is the sentences for offences 1 and 4, or the sentence which the applicant has already commenced serving, that is the sentence for offence 2. I would, however, vary the other sentences as follows:-
1. The sentence for offence 3 so that it commences on 14 February 2009 and expires on 13 August 2009. It would accordingly be fully concurrent with part of the non-parole period of the sentence for offence 2, which was a more serious offence committed against the same complainant.
2. The sentence for offence 8 by setting a fixed term of imprisonment of 10 months (one third of the head sentence set by the sentencing judge) commencing on 14 August 2009 and expiring on 13 June 2010.
3. The sentences for offences 9 and 11, which were offences of indecent assault committed against the same complainant, by imposing concurrent fixed terms of imprisonment of 10 months (one third of the head sentences set by the sentencing judge) commencing on 14 February 2010 and expiring on 13 December 2010.
4. The sentence for offence 10 of sexual intercourse without consent committed against the same complainant as offences 9 and 11 by imposing a fixed term of imprisonment of 14 months (about one third of the head sentence set by the sentencing judge) commencing on 14 August 2010 and expiring on 13 October 2011.
5. The sentences for offences 12 and 13, an offence of sexual intercourse without consent and an offence of indecent assault which were committed on the same occasion against the same complainant, by imposing concurrent fixed terms of imprisonment of 10 months (one third of the head sentence set by the sentencing judge) commencing on 14 June 2011 and expiring on 13 April 2012 and of 14 months (about one third of the head sentence set by the sentencing judge) commencing on 14 June 2011 and expiring on 13 August 2012.
6. The sentences for offences 6 and 7, offences of indecent assault committed against the same complainant, by imposing concurrent sentences of a non-parole period of one year eight months commencing on 14 August 2012 and expiring on 13 April 2014 and a balance of the term of 10 months.
7. For offence 5, taking into account the additional offences, I would impose a non-parole period of one year commencing on 14 August 2013 and expiring on 13 August 2014 and a balance of the term of four years commencing on 14 August 2014 and expiring on 13 August 2018.
108 Under the sentences as proposed by me, the total length of the head sentences would be 12 years and the total length of the fixed terms and non-parole periods would be eight years.
109 In my opinion, the following orders should be made:-
1. Leave to appeal granted.
2. Appeal against sentence allowed in part.
3. Confirm the sentences for offences 1, 2 and 4.
4. Quash the sentences for offences 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 and in lieu thereof impose the following sentences:-
· For offence 3 - a fixed term of imprisonment of six months commencing on 14 February 2009 and expiring on 13 August 2009.
· For offence 8 - a fixed term of imprisonment of 10 months commencing on 14 August 2009 and expiring on 13 June 2010.
· For offences 9 and 11 - concurrent fixed terms of imprisonment of 10 months commencing on 14 February 2010 and expiring on 13 December 2010.
· For offence 10 - a fixed term of imprisonment of 14 months commencing on 14 August 2010 and expiring on 13 October 2011.
· For offence 12 - a fixed term of imprisonment of 14 months commencing on 14 June 2011 and expiring on 13 August 2012.
· For offence 13 - a fixed term of imprisonment of 10 months commencing on 14 June 2011 and expiring on 13 April 2012.
· For each of offences 6 and 7 - a non-parole period of one year eight months commencing on 14 August 2012 and expiring on 13 April 2014 and a balance of the term of 10 months.
· For offence 5 and taking into account the additional offences - a non-parole period of one year commencing 14 August 2013 and expiring on 13 August 2014 and a balance of the term of four years commencing on 14 August 2014 and expiring on 13 August 2018.
The earliest date on which the applicant will be eligible for release on parole will be 13 August 2014.
110 ADAMS J: I agree with James J.