I take some comfort that should Vincent plead guilty to everything, we, the taxpaying public, will know exactly what he is pleading guilty to. All criminal acts, all criminal consequences will be outlined by the presiding judge in the sentencing element of the trial. Vincent will be informed then of what particular element of sentencing is being declared and attached to each criminal act. Even if they were seconds apart.
Under NSW State law, the maximum penalty for murder is life imprisonment, with a standard non-parole period of 20 years, or 25 years for the murder of a child under the age of 18. So Vincent pleading guilty doesn't alter that situation, it only alters the predictive and projection of the future as to parole. Which wont be under 20 years. What will be taken as given is the aggravation and deliberation of the crime, which is added onto the 20 years non parole, ( parole isn't guaranteed, it is only a point where Vincent has legal opportunity to apply for parole, there is no requirement to grant it ) .. and if there are any mitigating factors. (??) they are deducted from the overall non parole amount of years sentenced.
But life is the usual set sentence, and in Vincent's case, there doesn't appear to be any mitigating factor. At all. A heck of a lot of aggravating factors, though, which I think , even if he is adjudged intellectually diminished in some way, ( which I doubt ) will add on at the very least about 10 to 12 years onto his non parole sentence.
What does Vincent get for pleading guilty to all elements of the crime as charged? .. he gets a discount .. all criminals who plead guilty at trial, get a discount, but not as much of a discount as those who plead guilty before the trial starts. Those get a bigger discount, because they have saved a lot of time and money. Vincent has offered a deal, at the beginning of his committal proceedings, so that attracts a lesser discount, but a discount, nonetheless.
I think the discount would be a matter of a few years back from the non parole sentence, but .. there is no requirement from the judge to set Vincent the 20 year mandatory until parole can be applied. Vincent could be sentenced to 35 years, with a discount of 2 years for pleading guilty, that's 33 years until he can apply for parole which may take anything up to 10 years to be granted. Even more, since his sentence is , and will be, life. Pleading guilty doesn't alter that. The Crime of Murder is deemed a life sentence regardless of plea.