What makes an offence premeditated?

[JayRed]

Just wondering what makes an offence premeditated? The sentencing guidelines for assaults make reference to whether or not the offence was premeditated, but what constitutes premeditated?

[alexanderd]

whether it was a sudden act or you went out deliberately to commit the offence

[boxtops]

Premeditated means deliberate, the offender set out with the deliberate intention of doing whatever it was - it wasn't just a spur of the moment act.

[ELVIS68]

You`d think that someone leaving a party and grabbing 2 kitchen knives to go and help his mate in a fight and then using those knives to stab two people would be classed as premeditated?

Sadly most of the jury didn`t see it that way

[JayRed]

So if a person didn't set out with that intention, but instead reacted incorrectly to the situation, that isn't premeditated?

[237SJ]

I would say that was un-premeditated.

[ELVIS68]

My view is that he didn`t leave the house to slice bread with the knives therefore when the two victims got stabbed he intended to cause them harm