Towers v The Queen

Towers appealed against the sentence imposed by the trial judge, following his conviction for home invasion and assault. The appeal was heard by the Court of Appeal, which was required to determine several issues, including whether the trial judge erred in considering certain matters of aggravation and whether the sentence was manifestly excessive. The appellant also sought to have the sentence backdated to the date of his parole revocation.

The Court of Appeal held that the trial judge did not err in considering the matters of aggravation in the sentence. It was determined that using violence to facilitate a home invasion and subsequently charging the offender with assault did not constitute double punishment. The court emphasised that the vulnerability of the victims, who were in their early 60s, was a relevant factor in the sentencing process. The Court of Appeal also dismissed the appellant's argument that the sentence should be backdated to the date of his parole revocation. The appeal was ultimately dismissed, and the original sentence was upheld.