31 Dec 2002
The DATC order imposed by the magistrate was appropriate given the appellants addiction and offending history, and the claimed humanitarian grounds (death of son and wife's medical condition) did not meet the high threshold necessary to set aside the sentence; therefore the appeal is dismissed.
17 Jan 2002
The evidence of the appellant's family illness did not constitute exceptional humanitarian circumstances; therefore the sentences as imposed (total 18 months consecutive) were appropriate and the appeal against sentence must be dismissed.
24 Oct 2001
The magistrate was entitled not to place weight on the humanitarian matters which largely predated sentence, the newly produced documentation was not sufficiently compelling and the father's medical report was vague; the sentence fell within the accepted range for transit-type offences and the appellant had already been leniently treated, so the humanitarian grounds did not justify reducing the sentence and the appeal is dismissed.