Sentencing Act 2020

Aggravating and mitigating factors

10 Mitigating factors that may be relevant to the offence of murder include—

(a) an intention to cause serious bodily harm rather than to kill,

(b) lack of premeditation,

(c) the fact that the offender suffered from any mental disorder or mental disability which (although not falling within section 2(1) of the Homicide Act 1957) lowered the offender’s degree of culpability,

(d) the fact that the offender was provoked (for example, by prolonged stress) but, in the case of a murder committed before 4 October 2010, in a way not amounting to a defence of provocation,

(e) the fact that the offender acted to any extent in self-defence or, in the case of a murder committed on or after 4 October 2010, in fear of violence,

(f) a belief by the offender that the murder was an act of mercy, and

(g) the age of the offender.