R v Fajajo

The defendant, Fajajo, faced sentencing in the Supreme Court of Victoria following a plea of guilty to multiple charges, including the supply of a large quantity of a prohibited drug, and driving while disqualified on multiple occasions. The court was tasked with determining an appropriate aggregate sentence, taking into account the nature and circumstances of the offences, the offender's criminal history, and other relevant factors. The legal issues for the court to resolve included the appropriate weight to give to the aggravating and mitigating factors presented, and the manner in which the sentences should be ordered to achieve the overarching purposes of sentencing.

The court considered the severity and impact of the offences, noting the large quantity of drugs supplied and the repeated nature of the driving offences, which demonstrated a disregard for the law and posed a significant risk to public safety. The court also acknowledged the offender's guilty plea and cooperation with authorities as mitigating factors. After weighing the various considerations, the court determined that an aggregate sentence was appropriate, reflecting the cumulative seriousness of the offending. The court imposed indicative sentences for each offence and then ordered the sentences to run concurrently, with a total sentence of 2 years and 4 months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 1 year and 5 months. The court also ordered an automatic disqualification period to apply in relation to the driving offences.

The court's final orders were that the defendant be imprisoned for a total of 2 years and 4 months, with a non-parole period of 1 year and 5 months, to commence from 20 November 2022. The court further ordered that the automatic disqualification period apply in relation to the driving offences, and that the defendant be released to parole on 19 April 2024, subject to any other conditions imposed by the parole authority.