• Discharge without conviction – this is the equivalent of being found not guilty (an acquittal). The judge can only discharge without conviction if the direct and indirect consequences of a conviction would be out of all proportion to the seriousness of the offence. Also, a discharge without conviction can only be given if the particular offence doesn’t have a minimum sentence. The judge may also order restitution (for example giving back stolen property) or compensation (payment to the victim). A discharge without conviction means you do not have a criminal record.
• Conviction and discharge – The judge can only convict and discharge if the judge is satisfied a conviction would be a sufficient penalty in itself. This means you do have a criminal record but receive no other penalty except the fact of conviction. This charge will go onto your criminal record. This is only available if there isn’t a minimum sentence.
• Order to come up for sentence if called on – If you have been convicted, then instead of imposing a sentence the court may order you to come up for sentence if called on within a period of up to one year. This means if you come back to court within that time you could then be sentenced on the earlier charge too. This is sometimes called a “suspended” sentence, or a “good behaviour bond”.

• Paying a fine – A fine is a punishment for breaking the law. It’s paid to the court. For more information about fines, see “Fines”  below.
• Paying reparation – Reparation is a payment as a form of compensation made by an offender to a victim of a crime.

• Community work – This requires you to complete a set number of hours of community work, between 40 and 400 hours.
• Supervision – You will have regular check in meetings in person or over the phone with a probation officer for a period of between six months and one year, and must comply with various reporting, residential (where you live), association (who you can hang around with) and other conditions.
• Intensive supervision – You will have regular check in meetings in person or over the phone with a probation officer for a period of between six months and two years and must comply with various reporting, residential, association and other conditions. It involves more frequent reporting to the probation officer than for a standard sentence of supervision, and it may include doing a residential programme as one of the conditions.
• Community detention – You are required to remain at an approved residence under electronic monitoring for between two and 84 hours per week for a period of up to six months. An “approved residence” means a residence that a probation officer has said is suitable for you to live at while under detention. The other people in the house must know about the conditions of your sentence and need to agree to you serving the sentence there. They can withdraw their consent at any time.

• Home detention – You are required to remain at an approved residence under electronic monitoring with strict limitations on when you can be away from the residence, and close supervision by a probation officer. Sentences can be for a period of 14 days to 12 months.
• Imprisonment – You will be held in prison until you are released. If you have been held in custody before trial, that time will be taken into account and taken off your sentence. Depending on the length of your sentence, you’ll be released from prison either when you get parole, as early as halfway through your sentence or when your sentence ends.
• If your sentence is two years’ imprisonment or less, you may be eligible to be released when you have served half of your sentence. You will be subject to “release conditions” for the remaining time.
• If your sentence is more than two years’ imprisonment, you can only be released if you are given parole. Parole means you are released from prison early without serving your full sentence, following a Parole Board hearing. You have to follow the Board’s conditions for the remaining time of your sentence and be supervised by a probation officer. In most cases, you will be allowed to apply for parole after serving one third of your sentence.

All offences have a maximum penalty. The judge will look at the facts of the case to decide what sentence is appropriate in the circumstances. The maximum sentence is given only in the most serious cases.