31 Oct 2025
The judge lawfully selected the base drug, applied applicable guideline bands, permissibly enhanced the notional starting point for the presence of multiple drugs and for the applicant's recent recidivism, applied the one third guilty plea reduction and did not err in declining further mitigation; therefore the leave application to appeal the sentence is refused.
28 Feb 2023
A modest enhancement to the starting point for multiple drug traffickings is within the sentencing judge's discretion where justified by the offender's circumstances and where the Court of Appeal's combined approach tests are used as flexible cross-checks rather than mandatory calculations.
31 Jul 2018
Leave to appeal against sentence was granted because the sentencing judge's starting point was arguably excessive and may have resulted from misapplying the combined approach by simply adding separate starting points; the Court of Appeal must reconsider sentence afresh, including whether any enhancement for multiple drug types and the appropriate discount for personal consumption apply.