This is a single section from Chapter 26. Read the full chapter here.

How should the court determine the penalty to be imposed?

Legislation should provide guidance to the court about how to determine the amount of the penalty.

Legislation should state the maximum penalty that could be imposed by the court. That maximum penalty should reflect the worst class of case in each particular category. More assistance for determining the maximum penalty can be found, by analogy with criminal offences, in Chapter 24.

Acts should also provide guidance to the court about how to determine the amount of a penalty in specific cases. Although the list of factors to consider should be tailored to the circumstances of the regime, the following factors should be considered:

  • the nature and extent of the breach;
  • any loss or damage caused by the breach;
  • any financial gain made, or loss avoided, from the breach;
  • the level of calculation involved in the breach; and
  • the circumstances in which the breach took place.

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