New laws could see Victoria’s youngest criminals have their serious crimes kept secret

Heinous acts committed by Victoria’s youngest murderers and sex offenders could soon be kept secret under a proposed law change.

Victoria’s youngest killers and sex offenders would have their criminal records kept secret under a proposed state government law change.

Under the legislation, teens aged under 15 and convicted of serious ­offences including murder, manslaughter, violent assaults or sex crimes would have their records wiped clean instantly.

The Andrews government plan, set to be debated when parliament resumes in February, will also see adult killers and rapists sentenced to no imprisonment able to apply to have their convictions “spent”.

The changes are part of the government’s Spent Convictions Bill, that would see convictions for minor ­offences become “spent” and no longer show up in a police check after 10 years for adults.

For teens 15 and over, convictions would be spent after five years if they are of good behaviour.

However for younger teens the convictions would be automatically and immediately spent — no matter how serious the crime.

Victoria's worst young offenders could soon have their crimes kept secret. Picture: David Caird

Police and courts would continue to have full access to criminal history information. And certain employers would be able to access records to make risk assessments, while working with children checks would also pick up spent convictions.

Still, the laws have sparked concern among victim advocates, who say the Andrews government has put the rights of criminals first.

“The bleeding hearts are taking over again — let’s show them as much compassion as they showed their victims,” Crime Victims Support Association president Noel McNamara said.

“Regardless of their age, if you are old enough to commit murder and other criminal offences, you are entitled to be treated to the full force of the law.

“The whole justice system now is wrong — the whole system is completely in favour of the criminal.

“What about the victims? The parents, the brothers, the husbands and wives who have to wear it for the rest of their life while these criminals gets a slap on the wrist?

Matt Cronin, the father of Melbourne coward-punch victim Pat Cronin, said child offenders “already get a whole lot of concessions” when going through the justice system.

“I’m all for rehabilitation, don’t get me wrong,” Mr Cronin said. “But it shouldn’t just be a blanket approval — every case should be judged on its merits.”

The new laws would see three youths charged with the murder of Melbourne teenager Solomone Taufeulungaki have clean records even if found guilty.

Killer mum Sofina Nikat, who was sentenced to a 12-month community correction order after she suffocated her 15-month-old daughter, could apply to have her convictions spent.

Victoria is the only state without a spent convictions scheme, with Shadow Attorney-General Edward O’Donohue supporting such a concept. But he said Mr Andrews had “yet again got it wrong”, with his proposed scheme going “too far”.

“By allowing child rapists and murderers to have their convictions automatically spent, Daniel Andrews is putting criminals first and community safety second,” he said.

A government spokeswoman added: “A spent convictions scheme will mean that we can support young people to break the cycle of reoffending and prevent them ending up on an irreversible offending trajectory into adulthood.”