Judges get tough: Victoria’s worst murderers being jailed for longer
VICTORIA’S worst murderers are being jailed for longer as judges finally get tough on brutes terrorising the community.
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VICTORIA’S worst murderers are being jailed for longer as judges finally get tough on brutes terrorising the community.
Sentencing data shows 34 killers were sentenced in 2015/16 for murder — more than double the previous number of 15.
The average prison term, excluding life, being dished out is 22 years and three months last financial year compared to 19 years and seven months just three years earlier.
The state’s law makers and judges have been condemned in recent years for being too soft on criminals.
Police, devastated families of victims of crime and the community have been urging the courts to get tough in a bid to stop the bloodshed.
A crime surge has given Victoria the unenviable title of the nation’s murder capital, with data eclipsing all other states.
New data, compiled by the Sentencing Advisory Council, shows of the 11 people jailed for life over the last five years, only three will die in jail after being denied non-parole periods.
This includes Steven James Hunter who murdered Sarah Cafferkey and poured concrete into the wheelie bin he dumped her in to cover her lifeless body.
The most common no parole period was 17 years but some got as low as eight years.
Doncaster schoolgirl killer Sean Price is understood to have received the highest non-parole period of 38 years after his vicious murder of Masa Vukotic.
The criminals who received life sentences over the study period copped average non-parole periods of 32 years and six months.
Victims of Crime Commissioner Greg Davies said while judges were getting tougher, the average sentence was still less than the maximum for rape and armed robberies.
“I still don't think that sends a good strong message to the community or victims of crime because they believe the sentence the judge imposes is how much value the judge put on the life of their loved one,” he said.
“There is still a hell of a way to go.”
The Victorian Police Association secretary Sergeant Wayne Gatt said judges needed to spread the tough love to other serious crimes like rape and armed robberies.
“The courts can’t escape the fact they are dishing out sentences for other serious crimes that fall well short of community expectations,” he said.