Sentencing guidelines - Personal Mitigating Circumstances – Mental Illness of Offender

18 results

28 January 2025

The King v Barry Donnelly

The Court of Appeal provides guidance in respect of sentencing for manslaughter in cases of diminished responsibility at paragraphs [32] and [38] – [42]).

Appeal with leave of the single judge in respect of a nine year minimum term – manslaughter – diminished responsibility – schizophrenia – floridly psychotic – appellant negligent about taking care of his own health - possession of offensive weapons – AOABH – whether judge misjudged the appellant’s culpability leading to a manifestly excessive sentence - judge assessed culpability within the medium bracket – held to be appropriate – sentence not manifestly excessive – appeal dismissed.

[2025] NICA 7 Keegan LCJ

27 January 2025

The King v Noel David Quigley

Appeal of a three year sentence with leave of the single judge – attempted wounding with intent to cause GBH – AOABH – offences committed against a police officer – key issue was whether the court should have reduced culpability on the basis of mental health difficulties - the general principle that a deterrent sentence not only enhances the appropriate starting point, it diminishes the impact of personal circumstances is not a rigid, inflexible rule (paragraph [33]) - court endorsed the approach in R v Doran [1995] NIJB 75 that mental illness is not an automatic reason for reducing the sentence imposed for a criminal offence and each case must be assessed on its facts (paras [39] – [42]) – judge correct to find that there could be no reduction in culpability – high culpability – low harm – suspended sentence not appropriate despite rehabilitative efforts – three year sentence approved - appeal dismissed.

[2025] NICA 6 Keegan LCJ

18 December 2024

The King v Alexander McCartney

This is a short addendum ruling correcting an error in sentencing within the main judgment reported at [2024] NICC 30 . Determinate custodial sentences were replaced with extended custodial sentences where necessary

[2024] NICC 36 O'Hara J

25 October 2024

King v Alexander McCartney

Crown Court sentencing remarks – catfishing – sextortion - manslaughter - causing or inciting girls under 13 and between the age of 13 and 16 to engage in sexual activity – blackmail – making, distributing and possessing indecent images of children – causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent - intimidation - sexual communication with a child - offending against 70 victims worldwide – harm inevitably and indisputably huge – assessed as presenting a significant risk of serious harm – victim did not prove on the balance of probabilities that he was the victim of catfishing as a child – no previous record – pleas of guilty – some limited evidence of remorse post 2019 – numerous aggravating factors outlined at para [77] - extensive and worsening offending after his first arrest in 2016 – life sentence imposed – 20 year minimum tariff imposed with concurrent sentences in respect of the remaining counts – 10 year SOPO – disqualified from working with children – disposal order in respect of 13 devices

[2024] NICC 30 O'Hara J

18 May 2017

R v Norman McKenzie

Reference by DPP under s.36 Criminal Justice Act 1988 (as amended) – gross negligence manslaughter – various breaches of health & safety at work (‘H&S’) provisions – deceased falling from roof of agricultural shed – 15 months’ imprisonment suspended for 3 years – whether suspended sentence unduly lenient – immediate sentence of 24 months (12 & 12) substituted for manslaughter and concurrent sentence of 6 months for each H&S offence.

[2017] NICA 29 Gillen LJ

14 October 2014

R v Wootton & McConville

Reference under s. 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 – terrorist murder of police officer life imprisonment for adult offender – application of minimum tariff – 25 years not unduly lenient – detention at Her Majesty’s pleasure for youth offender – minimum term of 14 years unduly lenient – limited mitigation for youth in serious violent offence of this nature – tariff of 18 years substituted.

[2014] NICA 69 Morgan LCJ

28 June 2013

R v Todd Newton, Ruari Doey and Steven Doherty Director of Public Prosecution’s Reference (numbers 8, 9 & 10 of 2013)

Reference by DPP - attempted grievous bodily harm with intent – gratuitous violence by young males 2 of the 3 still children – s. 53 Justice (NI) Act 2002, Art. 45(2) Criminal Justice (Children) (NI) Order 1998 and Beijing Rules all considered - sentences substituted.

[2013] NICA 38 Morgan LCJ

21 December 2010

R v Eamonn Coyle

Offender pleaded guilty to manslaughter at commencement of retrial for murder (of his grandfather) - aged 16 at the time - went to grandfather's home to get money - grabbed grandfather by neck probably causing death - offender armed with knife - two puncture wounds on deceased's neck.

[2010] NICA 48 Morgan LCJ

06 March 2009

R v CK a minor

Appeal against sentences - minors - indecent assaults, acts of gross indecency and rape - custodial sentence - other methods of disposal especially a custody probation order - ECHR Art. 8 - sexual offences prevention order expiry date - periods of detention and one year's supervision - third and fourth conditions of the sexual offences prevention order to be deleted - second condition amended in the terms set out in this judgment - sexual offences prevention order to remain in force for the period of five years from today's date - to that extent appeal allowed.

[2009] NICA 17 Kerr LCJ

29 September 2008

R v Mark John Rush

Deceased crossing road and deliberately striking offender - offender then striking deceased - several blows 'of moderate severity' - public location not of offender's choosing - offender a long term alcoholic with impaired ability to defend himself - facts distinguished from Quinn.

[2008] NICA 43 Coghlin LJ

09 November 2007

R v Glenn Paul Harwood

Death resulting from two stab wounds to front of chest - 'deliberate and substantial violence' - no penalty for late plea in circumstances - appropriate in certain circumstances to go outside the range of 8 to 15 years on contest for cases falling outside upper range of gravity identified in Magee - 13 years not excessive on a plea.

[2007] NICA 49 Higgins LJ

15 June 2007

R v Stephen Magee

Application for leave to appeal against a sentence imposed at Newry Crown Court in 2005 - whether sentence manifestly excessive - manslaughter - 9 years imprisonment and 3 years probation - whether provocation or self defence - alcohol and drug misuse - guidance on sentence after a not guilty plea - guidance on aggravating factors - application for leave to appeal dismissed.

[2007] NICA 21 Kerr LCJ

02 June 2006

R v Ryan Quinn

Death resulting from single unprovoked blow. Need for deterrent sentences. Starting point should be higher in NI than in England. Starting point of 2 years, rising to 6 depending on aggravating circumstances.

[2006] NICA 27 Kerr LCJ

10 March 2006

R v Gerald Patrick Donnell

Manslaughter - GBH with intent - drunkenness and mitigation.

[2006] NICA 8 Shiel LJ

23 February 1996

R v Balmer

Appeal against conviction and sentence - gross negligence - shooting occurred while drunk - criminal evidence - exclusion of expert evidence of alleged mental illness - admissibility of expert opinion on the ultimate issue of gross negligence - whether "monstrously careless" equates to "gross negligence" - whether sentence manifestly excessive.

23 February 1996CARSWELL LJ Carswell LJ

11 July 1995

R v Doran

Burglary and reckless driving - length of sentence - appellant sentenced to five years' imprisonment after pleading - appellant suffering from schizophrenia - whether sentence should be reduced.

[1995] NIJB 75 Hutton LCJ

16 December 1994

R v Currie

Appeal against sentence - strangulation - provocation - discount in respect of guilty plea - factors in mitigation.

CAMPBELL J16 DECEMBER 1994 Campbell J

16 July 1993

R v Michael Malachy Murray

Manslaughter - stabbing - provocation - whether sentence of 10 years excessive - gravity of offence against mitigating factors.

R v Murray 160793 Hutton LCJ