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Serious repeat offenders

On 14 November 2020, sections 52, 53 and 55 of the Sentencing Act 2017 (SA) were amended by the commencement of the Sentencing (Serious Repeat Offenders) Amendment Act 2020. The amended provisions apply in relation to a sentence imposed on or after 14 November 2020, regardless of whether the offence was committed prior to this date.

In certain circumstances, a defendant may be deemed to be a serious repeat offender [see Sentencing Act 2017 (SA) s 53]. If a defendant is deemed to be a serious repeat offender, the court is not bound to ensure that the sentence it imposes is proportional to the offence, and the non-parole period it imposes must be at least four-fifths of the sentence [Sentencing Act 2017 (SA) ss 54(1)(a) and 54(1)(b)].

However, a sentencing court may declare that the serious repeat offender sentencing provisions above will not apply, if a defendant satisfies the court (by evidence given on oath):

  • that their personal circumstances are so exceptional as to outweigh the paramount consideration of individual or general community safety and deterrence; and
  • it is not appropriate in all of the circumstances to sentence the person as a serious repeat offender

[see 54(2)].

A defendant is deemed to be a serious repeat offender if they have been convicted of three serious offences on separate occasions [s 53(1)(a)].

A serious offence includes:

  • a serious firearm offence within the meaning of Division 3 of the Act; or
  • prescribed offences where the maximum penalty prescribed for the offence is at least 5 years imprisonment (for example-breaches of intervention orders involving violence, commercial drug offences, serious and organised crime, arson, serious criminal trespass-residential, and offences against the person)

where a sentence of imprisonment (other than a wholly suspended sentence, or a sentence that consists only of a community based custodial sentence) has been imposed [s 52]. The Court of Appeal has held that offences resulting in sentences of detention, as opposed to terms of imprisonment, while a youth do not constitute a qualifying ‘serious offence’ when determining whether a defendant is a serious repeat offender [see R v Scott-Combe[2023] SASCA 37].

A defendant may also be deemed to be a serious repeat offender if they have committed two serious sexual offences on separate occasions [Sentencing Act 2017 (SA) s 53(1)(b)]. Serious sexual offences includes certain offences under Division 11 of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (SA) where the victim was aged under 14 years at the time of the offence, and sexual exploitation of person with a cognitive impairment [s 52].

Serious repeat offenders  :  Last Revised: Wed Apr 19th 2023
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