Price v Tasmania

In *Price v Tasmania*, the appellant, Price, appealed against a sentence imposed by the Supreme Court of Tasmania. Price had pleaded guilty to three counts of assault and one count of committing an unlawful act intended to cause bodily harm. The unlawful act involved dousing his partner in petrol and setting her alight, which resulted in her sustaining burns to 25% of her body. The appeal was heard by Tennent, Wood and Estcourt JJ of the Supreme Court of Tasmania.

The central legal issue before the Full Court was whether the sentence of 10 years' imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 6 years, was manifestly excessive. The appellant sought to argue that the sentence imposed by the sentencing judge was too severe and ought to be reduced on appeal.

The Full Court considered the gravity of the offending conduct, noting the extreme violence involved in dousing the victim with petrol and setting her alight, and the severe injuries sustained by the victim. The court applied the principles governing appeals against sentence, which require interference only where the sentence is demonstrably outside the range of a reasonable sentence or is otherwise unjust. After reviewing the facts and the sentencing judge's reasons, the Full Court concluded that the sentence imposed was not outside the proper exercise of the sentencing judge's discretion and was therefore not manifestly excessive.

Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and the sentence imposed by the Supreme Court of Tasmania was upheld.