sentence — 2 counts of using carriage service to procure person believed to be under age of 16 years with intention of engaging in sexual activity — additional state drug offence — nature and circumstances — s 16A(2)(a) — offender communicated with two different people who they believed were underage girls knowing that this was against law — offender did what they could to procure each would be victim to engage in sexual activity — offender was obviously conscious of fact that they were engaging in illegal conduct from outset — conduct was deliberative and focused over period of six weeks — communicating with more than one victim in overlapping period is relevant to moral culpability which is high — offender did not lie about age nor go to great lengths to conceal identity — appears offender was banking on communications being kept secret — no actual victims is not a matter in mitigation — if there had been actual victims offending would be even more serious — mental condition — s 16A(2)(m) — time in gaol will be good deal harsher because of mental health issues and there is risk that mental health might well deteriorate — COVID-19 restrictions will mean offender undergoes harsher form of imprisonment — offender will not receive visits from family and partner — offender is of Aboriginal background so may well be especially at risk in terms of health — during time spent on remand offender has self-harmed and had suicidal thoughts — guilty plea — s 16A(2)(g) — offender pleaded guilty at earliest opportunity entitling them to significant discount in sentence otherwise received — cooperation — s 16A(2)(h) — offending conduct was deliberative and only came to end when offender was arrested — offender made some admissions to police and gave them access to phone — offender co-operated to an extent although did not admit to offending —rehabilitation — s 16A(2)(n) — offender has way to go in finally dealing with drug problem and appropriately addressing offending behaviour — offender has motivation and ability to turn things around — more needs to be done to address drug problem to deal with mental health problems and address underlying reasons for offending — prospects of rehabilitation guardedly good — specific deterrence — s 16A(2)(j) — some weight in view of deliberative nature of offending struggles with drugs psychological issues and current unclear picture of motivation for offending — general deterrence — s 16A(2)(ja) — strong weight in bid to deter others from behaving as offender has — offending preys on young and vulnerable and is difficult to detect — clear and strong message must be sent to other would-be offenders that conduct is intolerable — offender sentenced to 2 years’ and 6 months imprisonment with 6 month non-parole period — s 6AAA — but for plea of guilty offender would have been sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment with 3 year non-parole period
