‘If he wasn’t on parole, it wouldn’t have happened’: Frustrated grandmother attends victims of crime inquiry in Cairns

A grandmother who says her son was stabbed in the eye with a pair of scissors when he refused to hand over his phone to two teen assailants wants magistrates given power to hand down tougher sentences.

Legislative change to enable magistrates to hand down stronger penalties is essential to give victims of crime some closure and comfort, according to grandmother Catherine Williams.

She attended the Inquiry Into Support Provided to the Victims of crime held on Cairns on Wednesday.

Speaking outside the inquiry, Ms Williams said both of her grandsons had been attacked in Cairns and both had long term mental health issues as a result.

“My 18-year-old grandson was sitting playing on his phone at the Lagoon and two youths stepped in and asked him to hand over his phone,” she said.

Grandmother Catherine Williams attended the state government's inquiry into support provided to victims of crime when it sat in Cairns on Wednesday. She said both her grandsons had been victims of crime in Cairns and penalties for offenders were inadequate. Picture: Bronwyn Farr

“He said no, and one stepped in with a pair of scissors into his eye, and broke his arm.”

Her other grandson, aged 22, was confronted outside Gilligan’s and pushed to the ground and a passer by assisted him until paramedics came.

“To me the whole court system is wrong, because the boy that stabbed Marcus was out on parole – If he hadn’t been out on parole, then it wouldn’t have happened,” she said.

“There’s got to be stronger, stricter rules – I think the police are doing a wonderful job, but in my opinion, the magistrates leave a lot to be desired.

“There are rules they have to abide by, but the rules aren’t good enough,” Ms Williams said.

“I hope this inquiry gives us some answers, the parliamentarians should have a big meeting with all the true victims of crime, to tell their story and the heartache it’s caused – my eldest son is still suffering, and both of them are still on medication.”

She echoed a common theme from victims, saying that it was impossible to find out information about the charges a juvenile offender faced, whether they were held in custody, or the outcome of their court appearance.

Originally published as ‘If he wasn’t on parole, it wouldn’t have happened’: Frustrated grandmother attends victims of crime inquiry in Cairns