The Sentencing Council and 'Totality'.

How does the court approach these cases? When sentencing for more than one offence, the court is seeking to ensure that the total sentence reflects all the offending behaviour and is therefore just and proportionate. This is referred to as the principle of totality. A just and proportionate sentence is one which: • Reflects the overall seriousness of the criminality when all the offences are considered together. This requires the court to consider the overall sentence (the individual sentences added together) in relation to the overall criminality of the offending. This is because if the individual sentences were simply added together it could lead to a disproportionately high total sentence – for example, resulting in sentences for multiple thefts being the same as those for more serious offences such as assault. • Takes into account the overall effect of the sentence on the offender. 

Blogger: I have seen this system in action from within and was bound by it when I was a JP.

It is an abomination which leads to under-punishment at least 80% of the time.