Questão jurídica principal
Whether a prison sentence rather than a fine or community service was justified
Decisão extraída
A prison sentence was justified because prior convictions and recent reoffending showed that milder sanctions would not be sufficiently appropriate or effective.
Fundamentação extraída
The court held that sentencing includes choosing the type of sanction; where alternatives exist, the less intrusive sanction should normally be chosen, but the defendant's extensive prior record and lack of deterrence after earlier custodial punishment supported imprisonment.