Murdered teen’s parents call for urgent change to stop kid crims

Killings by out-of-control juvenile thugs will continue if youth justice laws aren’t overhauled, a grieving family claims as they come to terms with the “slap on the wrist” their son’s killers got.

The family of teenage murder victim Angus Beaumont have called for an urgent overhaul of the state’s youth justice laws, warning more people will die if action is not taken.

Michelle Liddle and Ben Beaumont have launched a petition pleading for legislative reform, including the imposition of tougher sentences, a more rigorous bail process for violent offenders and better transparency for the victims of juvenile crime.

The call comes after their 15-year-old son Angus was ­violently murdered in 2020 by two 14-year-old thugs, who had lengthy rap sheets but had never received a custodial sentence.

The teen murderers were last week sentenced in Brisbane Supreme Court and both will walk free before their 21st birthdays.

At the time of killing Angus, one of the offenders was on bail and the other on probation.

Angus Beaumont’s parents Michelle Liddle and Ben Beaumont outside court last week. Picture: Steve Pohlner

They were sentenced to years and seven years’ imprisonment based on their varying culpability, but will have to serve only 60 per cent of those sentences behind bars before they are released.

Angus’ parents say sentences handed to juvenile defendants such as their son’s killers are out of step with community expectations.

“At the moment, they’re getting a slap on the wrist and it’s not hard enough,” Mr Beaumont said.

Queensland Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman is seeking advice on the prospects of an appeal against their sentences.

“It’s fine to give those softer warnings for little things, we don’t want every poor kid who makes a silly mistake condemned for the rest of their life,” Ms Liddle said.

“But try to divert them early, but don’t wait until they’ve killed someone else’s child after a folder of other offences.”

Murder victim Angus Beaumont (right)

Mr Beaumont said the head sentence figures gave a false sense of security to the community, which often did not realise the offenders serve only a portion of that time in detention.

“We’re all in danger because everyone thinks they’re (in custody), but they’re not,” he said.

Due to juvenile justice laws, Angus’ parents learnt the full story of how their son died only during the trial.

They also learnt of the appalling histories of the two young killers only at their sentencing.

Mr Beaumont said his son’s killers had made a mockery of the justice system, with the older of the two stealing a car the night before his murder trial began.

Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard said she was aware of the petition and would respond at the appropriate time.

She said the findings of a review of the state’s youth justice system by former police commissioner Bob Atkinson were being considered and the report, along with the Youth Justice Action Plan, would be released soon.

TEEN MURDERERS’ RAP SHEETS

DEFENDANT 1: The boy who inflicted the fatal blow was then aged 14 and is now 16. His defence submitted he could be one of the youngest convicted murderers in Queensland history. The New Zealand-born teen, who faces deportation after his sentence is served, has a serious criminal history since age 13 and was found with a kitchen knife at a Redcliffe Skate Park. In January 2020 while on bail for other offences, he committed an armed robbery of a 14-year-old boy. He was on bail for that offending when he killed Angus. He will be released in March 2026, when he is aged 20.

DEFENDANT 2: The second teen, then 14 and now 17, was found guilty of murder by way of his common intention to rob Angus' friend. On the eve of his murder trial while on bail he stole an Audi A3 and led police on a chase at speed and on the wrong side of the road. His violent criminal history began when he was 11, including setting the Redcliffe Youth Centre ablaze. In November 2018 he was involved in extorting a mother who was pushing a pram on the street, threatening to kill her baby. He was on bail for offences of violence at the time. He will be released in March 2025 when he is aged 19.

View and sign the petition for Angus’ Legislation here

Originally published as Murdered teen’s parents call for urgent change to stop kid crims