‘Gutted’: family’s outrage over teen killer’s sentence
Rex Martinich |
The family of a murdered grandmother has slammed her teenage killer’s sentence, reeling from new details of the vicious attack that triggered landmark law reforms.
The Queensland government has already indicated it will consider appealing after a teenage boy on Thursday received a 16-year maximum sentence for the attack on Vyleen White.
The 70-year-old was fatally stabbed by the boy – then aged 16 – in front of her young granddaughter outside Redbank Plains shopping centre, west of Brisbane, in February 2024.
The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is likely to be released from custody in late 2033, about the time of his 26th birthday.
Ms White’s devastated family broke down outside court when asked about the sentence handed down by Chief Justice Helen Bowskill for the “cowardly and callous” crime.
“We’re all grappling with the horror mum would have gone through,” Ms White’s daughter Cindy Micallef said.
“Our lives are upturned forever. She was the foundation of our family … I was gutted by the sentence.”
Ms White’s death was a catalyst for the Queensland Liberal National government’s controversial “adult crime, adult time” laws, ensuring juveniles face at least 20 years in custody for murder.
However they are not retroactive, meaning the teen was sentenced under the state’s previous laws after earlier pleading guilty to murder.
Justice Bowskill gave the longest jail term she could under Queensland’s “weak” previous laws, Ms White’s husband of 50 years Victor said.
“It’s never enough when you murder somebody,” he said.
“There’s no justice when it comes to murder. Everybody has been shattered by what happened to Vyleen.”
The family said they would reflect on how they could further Ms White’s legacy by campaigning for tougher bail laws for juvenile offenders.
The teen killer was on conditional release for three armed robberies, including an incident in which a man was injured with a knife.
“If (the teen defendant) was dealt with properly, he wouldn’t be where he is today,” Victor White said.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli confirmed the government would consider an appeal.
“It’s not acceptable and nothing ever will be for them – and justifiably,” he said of the sentence.
Ms White’s young granddaughter witnessed the teen’s “senseless” attack, when he did not hesitate before stabbing the grandmother.
The girl later sought help from bystanders, actions described as “very brave” by Justice Bowskill.
The boy attacked Ms White in order to steal her car as she was holding up her hands and backing away, details that rocked the grandmother’s family when revealed during sentencing.
“I think some of the details today come as a total shock,” said Ms White’s daughter Julie Ryan, breaking down in tears.
“My mum was a woman of hope and faith and you try and follow in those footsteps, but this situation makes it nigh on impossible.”
The teen quickly approached the grandmother and demanded her car keys before inflicting a “non-survivable” 17cm deep knife wound, a detail that made Ms Micallef gasp.
“We are haunted by her last moments,” she said.
The boy stole Ms White’s 2009 Hyundai Getz hatchback and drove it to a nearby residential area where he showed it off to other teens.
The teen not only took one life but destroyed many others, Justice Bowskill said in the Queensland Supreme Court.
But the teen was remorseful and had spared Ms White’s family the trauma of going through a trial by pleading guilty, she said.
He did not visibly react as the 16-year sentence was handed down, staring straight ahead.
The teen will be released from detention after serving 60 per cent of the sentence and has already served one year and nine months on remand.
AAP
