Text as at 15 April 2026
This provision has not been checked by a human. The text below was read automatically from the official PDF and has not yet been verified against it, so it may differ from the provision as published — in its wording, its numbering, or where one provision ends and the next begins. For the authorised text, see legislation.vic.gov.au.

10A Special reasons relevant to imposing minimum non- parole periods

(1)In this section—
impaired mental functioning means—
S. 10A(1) def. of impaired mental functioning amended by Nos 70/2013 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 49), 48/2018 ss 79(1)(a), 84(1), 39/2022 s. 862.
(a)a mental illness within the meaning of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022; or
S. 10A(3)(a) substituted by No. 69/2014 s. 5(4).
(b)an intellectual disability within the meaning of the Disability Act 2006; or
S. 10A(2)(b) repealed by No. 48/2018 s. 79(2).S. 10A(3)(b) amended by No. 69/2014 s. 5(4).
(c)an acquired brain injury; or
(d)an autism spectrum disorder; or
S. 10A(2)(d) amended by No. 79/2014 s. 71.
(e)a neurological impairment, including but not limited to dementia;
S. 10A(2)(e) amended by No. 48/2018 s. 79(5).
self-induced intoxication has the same meaning as in section 322T(5) and (6) of the Crimes Act 1958.
S. 10A(1) def. of self- induced intoxication inserted by No. 48/2018 s. 79(1)(b).
(2)For the purposes of section 9B, 9C, 10, 10AA, 10AB, 10AC, 10AD or 10AE, a court may make a finding that a special reason exists if—
S. 10A(2) amended by Nos 72/2014 s. 8(2), 69/2014 s. 5(2) (as amended by No. 72/2014 s. 13(2)), 32/2016 s. 41(1), 50/2016 s. 6(1), 3/2019 s. 85(1).
(a)the offender has assisted or has given an undertaking to assist, after sentencing, law enforcement authorities in the investigation or prosecution of an offence; or
1Section 5(2AB) also applies.
2If an offender fails to fulfil an undertaking, the Director of Public Prosecutions has a right under section 291 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 to appeal against the less severe sentence imposed.
* * * * *
(c)the offender proves on the balance of probabilities that—
(i)subject to subsection (2A), at the time of the commission of the offence, he or she had impaired mental functioning that is causally linked to the commission of the offence and substantially and materially reduces the offender's culpability; or
S. 10A(2)(c)(i) amended by Nos 48/2018 s. 79(3), 23/2020 s. 5(1).
(ii)he or she has impaired mental functioning that would result in the offender being subject to substantially and materially greater than the ordinary burden or risks of imprisonment; or
S. 10A(2)(c)(ii) amended by No. 48/2018 s. 79(4).
(d)the court proposes to make a Court Secure Treatment Order or a residential treatment order in respect of the offender; or
(e)there are substantial and compelling circumstances that are exceptional and rare and that justify doing so.
(2A)Subsection (2)(c)(i) does not apply to impaired mental functioning caused substantially by self-induced intoxication.
S. 10A(2A) inserted by No. 69/2014 s. 5(3), amended by Nos 20/2015 s. 54, 28/2016 s. 4, 43/2017 s. 47, substituted by No. 48/2018 s. 79(6), amended by No. 23/2020 s. 5(2).
(2B)In determining whether there are substantial and compelling circumstances under subsection (2)(e), the court—
S. 10A(2B) inserted by No. 48/2018 s. 79(7).
(a)must regard general deterrence and denunciation of the offender's conduct as having greater importance than the other purposes set out in section 5(1); and
(b)must give less weight to the personal circumstances of the offender than to other matters such as the nature and gravity of the offence; and
(c)must not have regard to—
(i)the offender's previous good character (other than an absence of previous convictions or findings of guilt); or
(ii)an early guilty plea; or
(iii)prospects of rehabilitation; or
(iv)parity with other sentences.
(3)In determining whether there are substantial and compelling circumstances under subsection (2)(e), the court must have regard to—
(aa)the Parliament's intention that a sentence of imprisonment should ordinarily be imposed and that a non-parole period of not less than 10 years should ordinarily be fixed for an offence of manslaughter in circumstances in which section 9B(2) or 9C(2) applies; and
S. 10A(3)(aa) inserted by No. 72/2014 s. 8(3).
(a)the Parliament's intention that a sentence of imprisonment should ordinarily be imposed for an offence covered by section 10(1) or, subject to section 10AA(2), for an offence covered by section 10AA(1) and that a non-parole period of not less than the length specified in section 10(1) or 10AA(1) (as the case requires) should ordinarily be fixed in respect of that sentence; and
(ab)the Parliament's intention that a sentence of imprisonment of not less than 6 months should ordinarily be imposed for an offence covered by section 10AA(4); and
S. 10A(3)(ab) inserted by No. 69/2014 s. 5(4), amended by No. 23/2020 s. 5(3).
(ac)the Parliament's intention that a sentence of imprisonment of not less than 12 months should ordinarily be imposed for an offence covered by section 10AB; and
S. 10A(3)(ac) inserted by No. 32/2016 s. 41(2).
S. 10A(3)(ad) inserted by No. 50/2016 s. 6(2), amended by No. 3/2019 s. 85(2).
(ae)the Parliament's intention that a sentence of imprisonment should ordinarily be imposed and that a non-parole period of not less than 3 years should ordinarily be fixed for an offence covered by section 10AD; and
S. 10A(3)(ae) inserted by No. 50/2016 s. 6(2), amended by No. 3/2019 s. 85(3).
(af)the Parliament's intention that a sentence of imprisonment should ordinarily be imposed and that a non-parole period of not less than 2 years should ordinarily be fixed for an offence covered by section 10AE; and
S. 10A(3)(af) inserted by No. 3/2019 s. 85(4).
(b)whether the cumulative impact of the circumstances of the case would justify a departure from that sentence and, where relevant, minimum non-parole period.
(4)If a court makes a finding under subsection (2), it must—
(a)state in writing the special reason; and
(b)cause that reason to be entered in the records of the court.
(5)The failure of a court to comply with subsection
(4)does not invalidate any order made by it.