Previous convictions

When an offender has previously been convicted in court of committing crimes, these are called previous convictions. A person is convicted when they admit they committed a crime or are found guilty by a judge or a jury of committing the crime. Some convictions can be analogous. This means that they are the same or similar to the crime the person is being sentenced for at the time.

Originally published on 14 November 2016. Updated on 6 April 2026.