Nine years imprisonment with 12 months suspended upheld for manslaughter arising from brutal assault

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal against the severity of a 9-year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended, for a man convicted of manslaughter following a brutal and premeditated assault. The appellant had argued that the sentence did not adequately account for mitigating factors and was disproportionate, especially considering the absence of a weapon and the fact that the unlawful acts would not normally result in death. However, the Court found multiple aggravating factors, including significant premeditation and callousness, justified the sentence within the "higher culpability" range. The Court also noted the disparity in sentences between the appellant and his co-accused brother, who was involved in only one of the two incidents, did not give rise to concerns about proportionality.