Youth crime Qld: Three-quarters of bail breaches only given reprimand

Queensland juvenile offenders who breached their bail conditions were given a slap on the wrist by the courts, with three-quarters only given a reprimand.

• Editor: Sneaking suspicion was right

Queensland juvenile offenders who breached their bail conditions were given a slap on the wrist by the courts, receiving a reprimand and being released in three-quarters of cases in the first few months after it was made an offence.

Sixteen youths were sentenced for breaching bail from March to June 2023, with the most common penalty reprimand (12 cases), followed by good behaviour bond (three) and court diversional referral (one), Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council data reveals.

The shocking statistic has drawn fury from victims of crime, including the mother of slain teenager Angus Beaumont, who said the justice ­system had blood on its hands.

Michelle Liddle said the courts bailed her son’s killer both before and after the 15-year-old was fatally stabbed at a Redcliffe park in 2020.

  In the wake of the man being charged again last month, ­Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said that while she couldn’t comment on individual cases, she conceded some serious repeat offenders were beyond rehabilitation.

“The fact is, sometimes people reoffend no matter how good the system, no matter who’s in government, no matter what they claim; the fact is not everybody can be rehabilitated,” she said.

Michelle Liddle, the mother of Angus Beaumont

Ms Liddle said the justice system needed to be reality-based as she criticised the “bleeding hearts” of the judiciary.

She said every time her son’s killers were granted bail she felt sick to her stomach, as it left other members of the community vulnerable to these serious repeat offenders.

Ms Liddle said serious repeat offenders who were granted bail were given a burst of confidence which often resulted in an escalation of violence.

Premier Steven Miles on Monday said the government’s Community Safety Plan was working.

“What we’re seeing is the results of that comprehensive plan, and it’s and you can’t point to individual elements of it,” he said.

“You need to take the plan as a package and the result of the plan as a package has seen a reduction in crime, a reduction in young offenders, a reduction in serious repeat offenders.

Mr Miles said the reported data was a “very small sample” of those who’ve been charged with breach of bail.

“That’s analysis of those who have been charged with breach of bail alone as a single offence, that’s a pretty rare occurrence,” he said.

He said as of August 30, 4983 young offenders had been charged with breach of bail alongside the offence through which they’ve breached bail - meaning the total number of offenses was 12,152.

Ms Liddle and her husband Ben Beaumont have repeatedly called for minimum sentences, tighter bail laws – including denying bail for serious repeat offenders or life crimes – along with consecutive sentencing.

The state government announced breach of bail would be reintroduced as an offence for juveniles in March last year, after Queensland grandmother Julie West launched an “Emma’s Law” petition.

Emma Lovell, 41, was stabbed in the heart outside her family home in North Lakes just before midnight on Boxing Day, 2022.

Her killer, who was 17 at the time, was earlier this year sentenced to 14 years’ jail for what was described by Justice Tom Sullivan as a particularly heinous crime.

The serial burglar had been on parole when he murdered Ms Lovell.

“Emma Lovell would be alive if (the justice system) had done their job,” Ms West said.

Youth crime victims’ advocate Russell Field recently announced he would run for the LNP in the Labor-held seat of Capalaba in next month’s state election.

Home invasion murder victim Emma Lovell

Mr Field was thrust into the spotlight after a drunk and high 17-year-old with a lengthy criminal history ran a red light and crashed a stolen car, killing his son Matthew Field and pregnant partner Kate Leadbetter, who had been out for a walk with their dogs on Australia Day 2021.

Launching his The Change We Need campaign, Mr Field said: “The teenager who killed my family in a stolen car was on bail for the seventh time.

“We need to shut the revolving door on bail, get these kids off the streets and prevent crime before it happens by keeping them on the right track to begin with.”

Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior said the court needed to reflect community expectations and stop the revolving door of justice.

“Parents, caregivers and those who are meant to provide guidance while these criminals are on bail need to share this burden, step up and act,” he said.

“Frontline police often question if Youth Justice are even operating any more as they are very rarely seen when these offenders are out causing havoc and threatening families with anti-social behaviour.”

Mr Prior said youth ­offenders granted bail were often failed a second time by Queensland Corrections and Youth Justice, being left in police watch houses for up to 21 days.