That's a little bit misleading, they're supposed to determine the facts based on the evidence, then provide a verdict.
When giving a verdict they can take into account the severity of the penalty and the circumstances of the crime.
I think a jury should hear the motivation for the defendant's actions: as a counterexample consider a defendant on trial for breaking their parole (under freedom of movement), but who did so to rescue people from a burning building. A jury would have to hear the motivation to take this into account.