General guidelines

(1) Without prejudice to sections 25 to 30 of this Act, a court in sentencing an offender convicted by or before the court shall observe the general guidelines set forth in this (Alternative Sentences) 37 (2) The guidelines referred to in subsection (1) of this section are as follows, 1. The rehabilitation of the offender is one of the aims of sentencing, except where the penalty is death. 2. The gravity of a punishment must be commensurate with the gravity of the offence. 3. An offender must not be sentenced except for an offence of which the offender has been convicted or for another offence or other offences which the offender has asked the court to take into consideration in passing sentence. 4. Where a fine is imposed, the court in fixing the amount of the fine must take into account, among other relevant considerations, the means of the offender so far as these are known to the court, regardless whether this will increase or reduce the amount of the fine.