6 Jan 2010
The appeal is dismissed because the correct approach was to set the starting point at 13 months (middle of the 12–15 month guideline) and apply a one-third discount for the guilty plea, yielding a 9 month sentence which was therefore properly imposed; further reduction for the appellant's personal circumstances or foreign status was not justified.
30 Jun 2005
The Magistrate correctly treated theft from a friend as involving a breach of trust and, given the aggravating features (pawnbroked twice, absconding, prior dishonesty findings even if remote), the starting point of 12 months reduced to 8 months for a guilty plea was lawful and not manifestly excessive; therefore the appeal is dismissed.
20 Jul 1999
The Court held the Magistrate did not err in principle or impose excessive sentences: the appellant's family circumstances were either not established or were known to him at the time of the offences and therefore carried little or no mitigating weight; foreign nationality is not a mitigating factor; appeal dismissed and sentences upheld.