Queensland’s Attorney General has directed prosecutors to appeal two sentences deemed too lenient for serious crimes.
Maryborough: So, here’s the scoop. Queensland’s attorney general, Deb Frecklington, is making waves by telling prosecutors to appeal two sentences she thinks are way too light for the crimes committed.
She’s not holding back, saying these sentences just don’t cut it when it comes to what the community expects. The first case involves a young kid who was driving a stolen car and caused a terrible crash that killed three people. He got six years in youth detention, which Frecklington thinks is just not enough.
Then there’s the second case, where a guy named Brock Andrew McDonald attacked a young woman in Bundaberg. He wrapped a rope around her neck and forced her into his car. The judge gave him two and a half years but let him out on parole, which Frecklington finds shocking.
She’s pushing for these appeals because she believes the sentences don’t reflect the severity of the crimes. The government, which just came into power, is also trying to tackle what they call a “youth crime crisis” with new laws aimed at tougher penalties.
But there’s a catch. Some human rights groups are worried these changes might unfairly target Indigenous kids and those with disabilities. Frecklington even admitted that the new laws could discriminate against children, which is a big deal.
It’s a complicated situation, and it looks like there’s a lot more to come on this issue.
