Sentencing

9 cases · April 2025 to June 2026

Case Volume by Year

4
25
5
26
2025–2026

Key Issues & Sub-Topics

Rape and sexual offences against children — Principal in position of authority — Sexual grooming of minor — Sentence of 15 years imprisonment — Whether manifestly excessive — Mitigating factors considered — Aggravating factors overwhelming — Public interest — Sentence affirmed — Concurrent sentences — Multiple charges — Thirteen charges across five cases — Sentences ordered to run concurrently — Effective term of 15 years — Whether wrong in principle — Totality principle 5 the punishment imposed must not only concern on public interest, but also must be fair to the Appellant — at least, the Appellant should be given the opportunity to open up a new chapter at the end of his life after undergoing rehabilitation program in the prison 2 Principles — Proportionality — Public interest — Deterrence and retribution — Loss of life as irreversible harm — Comparative sentencing trends for s. 304(a) offences 1 Mitigating factors — Early guilty plea — Remorseful — Absence of weapon — Personal circumstances — Not a hardened criminal 1 Discretion of court — No misdirection — Sentence of eight years’ imprisonment from date of arrest neither manifestly excessive nor manifestly inadequate 1 Principles — Public interest — Seriousness of offence — Death occurred — Need for deterrence and protection of the public — Guilty plea acknowledged but limited weight due to gravity of offence — Sentencing trends for s.304(a) PC (18–20 years) — High Court imposed 15 years’ imprisonment — Whether sentence manifestly excessive. 1

Rape and sexual offences against children — Principal in position of authority — Sexual grooming of minor — Sentence of 15 years imprisonment — Whether manifestly excessive — Mitigating factors considered — Aggravating factors overwhelming — Public interest — Sentence affirmed — Concurrent sentences — Multiple charges — Thirteen charges across five cases — Sentences ordered to run concurrently — Effective term of 15 years — Whether wrong in principle — Totality principle 5 cases

the punishment imposed must not only concern on public interest, but also must be fair to the Appellant — at least, the Appellant should be given the opportunity to open up a new chapter at the end of his life after undergoing rehabilitation program in the prison 2 cases

Mitigating factors — Early guilty plea — Remorseful — Absence of weapon — Personal circumstances — Not a hardened criminal 1 case

Discretion of court — No misdirection — Sentence of eight years’ imprisonment from date of arrest neither manifestly excessive nor manifestly inadequate 1 case

Key Statutes

Penal Code (Cap 574)
cited in 1 case

Court Distribution

Key People & Firms

Cases