Sentencing guidelines - Road Traffic Offences

33 results

05 November 2024

King v Vladimar Kovac

The Court of Appeal provides assistance to sentencing judges on the imposition of an interim driving disqualification after conviction and pre-sentence at paragraphs [23] – [26]. The Court of Appeal recommends that in cases of this nature (causing death by dangerous driving where a mandatory disqualification applies) an interim disqualification should be imposed post-conviction. The court also points out that prior to a plea of guilty a court considering bail may also impose restrictions upon driving depending on the circumstances of a particular case.

Appeal with leave of the single judge in respect of a nine and a half year sentence and 10 year driving disqualification – death by dangerous driving – whether both aspects of the sentence were manifestly excessive – guideline case of R v McCartney [2007] NICA 41 applied – exceptionally bad example of dangerous driving – fell into most serious culpability bracket – high harm – both aspects of the sentence held to be within the appropriate range – appeal dismissed.

[2024] NICA 72 Keegan LCJ

21 June 2024

The King v Michael Beattie

In this judgment the Court of Appeal provides guidance on the imposition of Sexual Offences Prevention Orders (SOPOs) at paragraphs [18] and [37].

Appeal against imposition of a SOPO – sexual activity with a child between the age of 13 and 16 - causing or inciting a child between the age of 13 and 16 to engage in sexual activity - SOPO made for five years and prohibited any contact with children under 16 of either gender or the victim who is now over 18 - whether SOPO wrong in principle and terms disproportionate - breadth of order as originally framed infringed the appellant’s family life disproportionately to risk he can be found to pose to children - substituted SOPO of same duration of five years with conditions considered necessary and proportionate – principles at paragraph [18] to be applied by judges considering imposition of SOPO in this jurisdiction - SOPO’s must be tailored to circumstances of each case and cannot be presented in formulaic way to avoid disproportionate orders being made - practitioners and judges must be cognisant of the high threshold required when considering the imposition of a SOPO - appeal allowed.

[2024] NICA 51 Keegan LCJ

01 December 2022

The King v Laura Adair

Death by careless driving – struck and fatally wounded pedestrian on pedestrian crossing - whether 12-month sentence manifestly excessive - whether trial judge made an error of double counting – court confirmed R v Doole [2010] NICA 11 remains the leading sentencing guideline case in relation to death by careless driving - appeal dismissed.

[2022] NICA 68 McCloskey LJ

27 May 2020

R v McGrath

Common assault and breach of restraining order – Violent Offender Prevention Order (‘VOPO’) – clarification concerning ‘qualifying offences’ for the making of a VOPO.

[2020] NICA 29 Morgan LCJ

16 May 2019

R v QD Director of Public Prosecution's Reference (Number 6 of 2019)

Reference by DPP NI under S. 36 Criminal Justice Act 1988 as amended by S. 41(5) Justice (NI) Act 2002 – whether sentence of 5 months’ custody unduly lenient - sexual assault of a child under 13 contrary to Article 14 of the Sexual Offences (NI) Order 2008 – whether failure to impose a SOPO unduly lenient – sentence quashed and SOPO imposed.

[2019] NICA 23 Stephens LJ

17 January 2019

THE QUEEN v PAUL HOLYWOOD

appeal from part of sentence which disqualified appellant from driving for period of 4 years - causing grievous bodily injury by driving carelessly when unfit to drive through drink or drugs and driving while unfit through drink or drugs - whether length of disqualification wrong in principle, manifestly excessive and failed to take into account appellant’s reliance on ability to drive to return to employment – appeal allowed

[2019] NICA 28 Huddleston J , Morgan LCJ , Stephens LJ

20 December 2018

R v CZ

Sexual offence prevention orders - applications made to Crown Court in respect of variations, renewals and discharge, and appeals thereafter to the Court of Appeal - demarcation between appeals in respect of SOPOs imposed as part of sentence and appeals in respect of variations, renewals and discharges - need for SOPO's to be carefully formulated

[2018] NICA 53 Maguire J

09 January 2017

R v David Lee Stewart, DPP Ref (No 1 of 2016)

Reference by DPP under s. 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 - causing death by dangerous driving plus dangerous driving, failing to provide a specimen, failing to stop and failing to remain contrary to the Road Traffic (NI) Order 1995 - 7 year sentence (3 1/2 in custody and 3 1/2 on licence) - whether starting point too low - whether consecutive sentences required - whether too great a discount for plea - whether mitigation too generous - reaffirmation that all aggravating and mitigating factors to be considered first in arriving at starting point before giving discount for plea - personal mitigation less relevant in deterrent sentence - allowing for double jeopardy sentence of 9 years (4 1/2 plus 4 1/2) substituted.

[2017] NICA 1 Morgan LCJ

26 May 2016

R v Patricia McKeown

Appeal of part of sentence - causing grievous bodily injury by driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration - whether judge correct to impose three year disqualification - whether judge correct to impose extended driving test requirement - appeal allowed - disqualification period of 12 months substituted - requirement for extended driving test removed.

2016 NICA 24 Keegan J

22 May 2015

R v Donna McCool and Michael Harkin

False accounting contrary to s. 17(1)(a) Theft Act (NI) 1969 - false statements contrary to s. 105A(1) of the Social Security Administration (NI) Act 1992 – imposition of confiscation orders – whether court had jurisdiction order under POCA 2002 – whether amounts confiscated proportionate – Held that 2002 Act applied but amounts disproportionate and new amounts substituted.

2015 NICA 31 Morgan LCJ

25 March 2015

R v Gerard McCormick

Sexual activity with a child – 3 year determinate sentence comprising 18 months’ imprisonment and 18 on licence – 5 year SOPO – Sentencing Court’s reliance on Sentencing Council Guidelines – guidance from decided authorities in NI more reliable than Council Guidelines - 2 year sentence substituted – 12 & 12 – whether SOPO proportionate – that issue remitted to trial court to reconsider.

2015 NICA 14 Morgan LCJ

21 January 2015

R v Gabriel Mackle

Convictions under s. 3(1)(b) of the Explosive Substances Act 1883, and article 58(1) of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 – whether forfeiture order in respect of motorbike lawful – title to the item subject to hire purchase in brother’s name - nemo dat quod non habet – order quashed.

2015 NICA 5 Girvan LJ

18 December 2014

R v Michael Simpson

Possession of indecent child images contrary to Article 3 of the Protection of Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 – SOPO made under s.104 Sexual Offences Act 2003 – whether SOPO terms oppressive/disproportionate.

[2014] NICA 83 Coghlin LJ

31 January 2014

R v Patricia McGrade

Application for leave to appeal against sentence – careless driving causing death having consumed excess alcohol – 3 years’ determinate custodial sentence – 18 months’ custody/18 months’ licence – level of consumption of alcohol aggravating factor – leave refused.

[2014] NICA 8 Morgan LCJ

27 June 2013

R v Kevin Brannigan DPP's Ref (No.7 of 2013)

Causing GBI by careless driving – dangerous driving – perverting the course of justice – almost invariably requires immediate consecutive sentence – suspended sentences inappropriate in this case – sentencers need to consider whether exceptional circumstances exists in serious offending before suspending.

[2013] NICA 39 Morgan LCJ

15 March 2013

R v Leonard Henry Warwick

Money laundering offences, forgery, VAT fraud, mortgage fraud and deception - bank accounts in Isle of Man and NI - false identification and documents - whether confiscation order should have included accounts in own name or in fictional names - whether fruits of the accounts not enjoyed - most of monies going to others involved in the criminal enterprise.

[2013] NICA 13 Girvan LJ

27 February 2013

R v Michael Berry. DPP Ref (No. 5 of 2012)

DPP reference from sentence of 18 months imprisonment suspended for 3 years, a fine of £50,000 and disqualification from driving for 5 years - causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving – whether sentence unduly lenient - limited but relevant criminal record consisting of road traffic offences – mitigating circumstances surrounding employment – reference allowed and sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment substituted.

[2013] NICA 9 Morgan LCJ

29 June 2012

R v David Edwin Allingham and Freda Elizabeth Allingham and R v John McKenna

This is not a judgment but a summary of the judgment highlighting the sentencing guidance aspect of it. A link to the judgment is provided within the document.

Application for leave to appeal against Confiscation Orders and imprisonment - controlled waste kept in manner likely to cause pollution of environment or harm to human health and in or on land otherwise than under or in accordance with a Waste Management Licence - landfill tax - McKenna imprisonment appeal allowed and three years substituted for five - appeals by Allinghams and McKenna against confiscation orders in respect of benefit and evasion of tax dismissed - prosecution appeal allowed and confiscation order varied upward.

[2012] NICA 29 Higgins LJ

16 December 2011

R v James John Stewart Caswell

Causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving – need for sentencing court to establish factual basis of plea – proper approach to use of Guidelines – culpability rarely judged by consequence being serious injury rather than death.

[2011] NICA 71 Morgan LCJ

30 June 2011

R v Aidan Grew and Hilary Patrick McLaughlin and R v Patrick Mackle, Plunkett Mackle and Benedict Mackle

Fraudulent evasion of duty contrary to section 170(2) of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 - cigarette smuggling operations - whether trial judges erred in imposing confiscation order – appropriateness of custodial sentences for these offences.

[2011] NICA 31 Girvan LJ