Christopher Fulton and Amanda Fulton
The NICOA allowing Christopher Fulton’s appeal in part, reaffirmed and added to the sentencing guidance provided in R v Darren Fegan [2018] NICA 2 that a range of 7 to 15 years imprisonment is appropriate in respect of grievous bodily harm with intent involving young children contrary to section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. The NICOA added that in an extreme category of case, sentences exceeding 15 years and nearer to 20 years imprisonment will be appropriate (see paras [68] to [72]).
Appeal against an ECS comprising 22 years custody and five years on licence – GBH with intent – child cruelty – victim was appellant’s four week old son – NICOA held the sentencing judge, whilst entitled to move outside the sentencing range set out in Fegan, did not properly explain why – sentencing judge failed to deal adequately with totality principle – 18 years was the appropriate sentence for the GBH with intent with four years added to reflect the child cruelty counts – ECS’s should have been imposed in respect of child cruelty counts given the finding of dangerousness (see postscript) – NICOA upheld the overall length of sentence (22 years ECS with an extended 5 year licence period) – appeal allowed in respect of the child cruelty counts for which concurrent ECSs of four years with a two year licence period were substituted.
[Amanda Fulton did not appeal against a DCS of four years (split equally between custody and licence).