![]() (b) by 25%, unless the offender pleaded guilty, or indicated that he or she would plead guilty, at the first reasonable opportunity. (4) If the head sentence for an offence is or includes a fixed term, the court must not reduce the fixed term under subsection (2). (3) The earlier in the proceedings the plea is made, the greater the reduction in the sentence may be. (2) If a person pleads guilty to a charge for an offence, the court may reduce the head sentence for the offence in order to recognise the benefits to the State, and to any victim of or witness to the offence, resulting from the plea. Victim has the meaning given in section 13. (a) the offender had been found guilty after a plea of not guilty and Head sentence, for an offence, means the sentence that a court would have imposed for the offence if. Plea of guilty, sentence may be reduced in case of:įixed term has the meaning given in section 85(1) The principle of a discount on a sentence for an early plea is found in section 9AA of the Sentencing Act. Consequently an offender who pleads guilty to a charge is afforded a discount on the sentence which would otherwise have been imposed following a finding of guilt after a trial. ![]() The law recognises that a plea of guilty benefits the community because it avoids lengthy proceedings and lightens the workload of the courts and of the criminal justice system. If the evidence against you is strong and there are solid prospects of you being found guilty after a trial then there are practical benefits to pleading guilty at an early stage. As an experienced and knowledgeable criminal lawyer in Perth, he will provide you with solid legal advice that pertains to Western Australian law. ![]() If your matter is urgent, contact Andrew Williams immediately on (08) 9278 2575. Conversely if the evidence against you is strong then it is important to recognise the likelihood of being convicted and therefore the benefits of pleading guilty to the charge. If the evidence supporting the charge is weak, then there will be greater justification for you to plead not guilty and defend the charge. However you may already have a fair indication about the strength of the prosecution case, even before the evidentiary materials are disclosed to your lawyer. Your lawyer can request the evidence from the police and ultimately make an assessment about the strength of the prosecution case against you. If you are charged with a criminal offence the most important issue that you will discuss with your lawyer is whether you will plead guilty or not guilty to the charge. To Plead Guilty Or Not Guilty: Things You Should Know
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