SENTENCING

Where an offender who has attained the age of 18 is convicted of an offence committed while under the age of 18, his culpability is to be judged by reference to his age at the time of the offence.

However, this is only a starting point, and the sentence that would have been imposed at the time of the commission of the offence is a “powerful”, not sole or determining, factor. The sentencer also has to take account of the matters set out in CJA 2003, s 142  including
deterrence.