There are two objectives when Speaking to Sentence. First, you want to describe what type of person you are. The Judge wants to know about your character. Second, you want to describe the circumstances surrounding the offence. The Judge wants to know if there are mitigating factors or, in other words, special circumstances which led to you committing an offence (ie. severe illness, necessity, personal difficulties, etc.).
Below is a list of things a Judge may want to know. Remember to paint the best picture of yourself. It is usually best not to talk about your past criminal record. But always be absolutely honest with the Judge. As a general rule, never remind the Judge of the negative and always emphasize the positive, however, if you have spent time in remand for this particular offense, you should let the judge know this straightaway. You should tell the judge these things in a short speech that you prepared ahead of time. After the Judge has heard you speak to sentence, the Judge will pass sentence taking into account all that the Crown Prosecutor and you have said.