Graeme and Annette Kimball speak on youth crime laws after killer driver sentenced

Two Sunshine Coast parents say they feel like they’ve buried their son for a second time after watching the teenage driver behind the wheel of his fatal crash walk from court.

The shattered parents of Sunshine Coast teenager Ryan Kimball have called for tougher youth crime penalties after the teen who killed their son in a fatal car crash walked from court.

Graeme and Annette Kimball were surrounded by dozens of supporters when the teenage driver, who cannot be named being 17 at the time of the offence, was sentenced in the Maroochydore District Court on April 28.

The court was told Ryan, 16, was in the back seat of the vehicle when, during several high-speed runs up and down Finland Rd in Bli Bli, the driver lost control and drove into a power pole on June 9, 2022. Ryan died instantly.

The driver, now 18 but dealt with under the Youth Justice Act because of his age at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty to driving as a learner without supervision, driving without L plates displayed and using a phone while driving. He earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of dangerous driving causing death.

Ryan Kimball.

He was given 18 months’ detention suspended immediately on a conditional release and disqualified from driving for 18 months. A conviction was not recorded.

Now, knowing the man whose actions killed their son is out in the community, the Kimballs say enough is enough.

Mr Kimball said the laws needed to change for youth offenders to face greater consequences for crimes where someone is killed.

He said they were “in disbelief” after Ryan’s killer’s sentence was handed down.

“I don’t care what age you are, if you commit a crime where a life is taken, and you plead guilty … you (should) have to do a jail sentence or detention,” he said.

“You have to be accountable for taking someone’s life.”

The Kimballs said they did not think justice was served for their son and the non-custodial sentence felt like they were “(burying) Ryan a second time”.

“There’s no justice, that’s what the politicians don’t see,” Mr Kimball said.

Ninderry MP Dan Purdie, a former child protection detective who has been outspoken on youth crime laws in parliament, said the sentence was “not surprising”.

“It’s nearly impossible now for police to get a conviction recorded against a juvenile offender,” he said.

He claimed it began when the Palaszczuk government “watered down” youth justice laws in late 2015 and 2016 as it claimed tougher penalties did not reduce youth crime.

Member for Ninderry Dan Purdie MP. Picture: Liam Kidston

“I saw first hand how those amendments tipped the balance of power into the hands of young offenders … and that’s what we’re seeing now,” Mr Purdie said.

He said the government needed to admit this was the result of those amendments and to restore the power back into the hands of police.

In March, the state government passed youth crime laws bringing back breach of bail as an offence for child offenders.

Legislative changes included breach of bail being applied to children, increasing the maximum penalty for stealing a car from seven to 10 years, plus a more severe penalty of 14 years if the offence is committed at night or involves violence.

It also included increased penalties for criminals who boast about their crimes on social media, and amendments to the Youth Justice Act requiring courts to take into account previous bail history and criminal activity.

Mr Kimball said his message to Annastacia Palaszczuk was to “take note” of the public pleading for change.

“Listen to what’s killing people, look at how families are being affected,” he said.

Mrs Kimball said meeting face-to-face with victims’ families was another step forward.

Graeme and Annette Kimball lost their son Ryan in 2022 when he died in a fatal crash caused by reckless driving. He was only 16.

They worried Ryan, like so many others killed at the hands of young criminals, would become nothing more than a statistic in a crime report, if nothing changed.

Mr Kimball said young drivers were given the privilege of getting behind the wheel like an adult, which should reflect the consequences of their actions.

“If they get a speeding ticket on their Ps, they get fined like an adult. They pay rego like an adult, if they have a crash that kills someone, they (should) have to pay the price like an adult,” he said.

Originally published as Graeme and Annette Kimball speak on youth crime laws after killer driver sentenced