Shandee Blackburn’s mother Vicki says killers don’t deserve character references

The mother of a Queensland woman stabbed to death while walking home from work says incoming law changes for rapists during sentencing should be extended to those charged with murder or manslaughter.

Shandee Blackburn was stabbed to death while walking home from work in 2013.

The mother of a Queensland woman stabbed to death while walking home from work has called on the state government to prevent killers from having character references in court.

Vicki Blackburn – the mother of Mackay woman Shandee Blackburn, who was killed in 2013 – said incoming law changes to restrict character references for rapists during sentencing should also be extended to those charged with murder or manslaughter.

“Character references remove and try to minimise the effect. Victims don’t get that chance to say they are an innocent victim,” Ms Blackburn said.

Shandee, 23, was found dead on a Mackay street in February, 2013.

She had been stabbed and slashed 23 times across her body, including her face, neck, chest and arm.

Vicki Blackburn doesn’t think to rules around character references go far enough. Picture: Michaela Harlow

Her former boyfriend John Peros was charged with her murder in 2014, but denied any involvement and was found not guilty by a jury in 2017.

But in 2020, Coroner David O’Connel found Mr Peros had killed Shandee.

Ms Blackburn has since been a dedicated advocate for victims and didn’t think the proposed character reference changes went far enough.

Under the amendments, restrictions would be placed on character references for rapists during their sentencing.

The recommendation was made by the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council in December last year, which said victims could be deeply traumatised from hearing the person who raped or sexual assaulted them is considered a “good person” or a “valued member of the community”.

The state government introduced the bill in May.

Ms Blackburn said it was a good start, but added that she believed killers also shouldn’t be given the opportunity to have their character taken into account.

“Look at what they’ve done and it’ll tell you what kind of person they are,” she said.

“When you take someone’s life – arguably the worst you can do to another person – what you have done shows what you are capable of doing.

“It doesn’t matter what you do outside in your life, if you’re the best businessman, I think what they’ve done stands to their character.”

Victims’ Commissioner Beck O’Connor has also publicly called for character references to be scrapped.

But the Queensland Law Society didn’t agree, saying the removal of character references diminished the ability of courts to impose sentences that were fair.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington says the government is interested in the views of victims. Picture: Liam Kidston

“This approach overlooks the fact that judicial officers already possess the necessary discretion and guidelines to evaluate character evidence in a measured and context-sensitive manner, including instances where such evidence will carry little or no mitigating weight, particularly in cases involved serious offending,” president Genevieve Dee said in a submission to parliament.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said she would listen to the views of victims.

“The Crisafulli government’s reforms to the sentencing of rape and sexual assault cases send a clear message that victims should always come first,” Ms Frecklington said.

“We will always listen to the views and concerns of victims of crime, and the Attorney-General speaks regularly with Vicki Blackburn, who is a courageous advocate for change.”