If you have pleaded guilty to a criminal charge or if the Court finds you guilty, it will decide on the appropriate sentence guided by sentencing principles, such as, retribution, deterrence, prevention, proportionality and public interest.
In considering the appropriate sentence, the Court considers the factors such as a sentence that was meted out in previous cases before the Courts, type of offence, your personal circumstances, the likelihood of you re-offending and the role that you played in committing the crime.
Before the Court decides on a sentence, the Prosecuting Officer may apply to read to the Court a Victim Impact Statement. Here, the Court may assess the effect of the offences on the victim and then consider an appropriate sentence.
Depending on the circumstances of the case, some types of sentences can run concurrently (sentences that run at the same time) or consecutively (one after another).
If you have pleaded guilty but are dissatisfied with the sentence, you must file a Notice of Appeal against the sentence within 14 days. On appeal, the sentence may be increased or decreased, and bail amount is likely to be increased.
Depending on the case and the circumstances and whether there are previous convictions, the sentencing options for adults are fine, imprisonment, Police supervision, preventive detention, corrective training, caning, community sentences and orders, death penalty and probation (in special circumstances). Both female offenders and elderly offenders above the age of 50 are not subject to caning.
For youthful offenders between 16 years and 21 years of age, probation and reformative training are possible sentences.
For offenders with mental disabilities, community-based sentences are available, including a mandatory treatment order.