Thursday, 10 February 2022

Adjournment

Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (22:06): I move:

That the house do now adjourn.

Youth violence

Mr RICH-PHILLIPS (South Eastern Metropolitan) (22:06): (1731) I wish to raise a matter for the attention of the Attorney-General, who is at the table tonight, and it arises from an email I have received from a constituent in the south-east. I will not name the suburb, but I will read the email:

On Saturday night, my 17 year old son was beaten by 8 youths in—

the suburb—

… They repeatedly kicked him, punched him, and stomped on his head. All for his mobile phone. Even when he told them to take the phone, they continued to stomp on his head and one of them was chanting “he’s going to snitch, kill him” They also filmed the attack.

I managed to obtain cctv footage of the horrific event, from a house near where it happened.

To watch my child beaten, kicked, have his head stomped on by 8 people is the most sickening, heartbreaking thing I have ever seen. They even tried to steal his tracksuit pants off him.

The police attended, and I must say they were amazing. One of the many problems we are now faced with is, the police have told us that one of these boys has been arrested before and is continually given bail, only to reoffend. They also said there is zero chance a Magistrate will punish them. This must frustrate the police to no end, they get them off the streets, only for them to receive no form of punishment, and are sent out to reoffend. There’s no lesson there. They know they can do whatever they want with no repercussions.

My son is now withdrawn, wont eat, not to mention the physical injuries he is recovering from. He has withdrawn his statement, as they have our address (they stole his … license) And the police have informed us that the perpetrators will know my child gave a statement, and it will be read out in court along with his name. But we don’t get the perpetrators names. My son is living in fear that they will come to our home, or wait for him on the way to school, so he doesn’t want the mental anguish of them knowing he “Snitched”

This seems extremely unjust. Where is my child’s protection? Why do these thugs get let off all the time? Apparently it’s because they are children … my son is also a child! They could have so easily killed my boy. Would they get a slap on the wrist then too? Too many times I read about these delinquents getting away with their violent crimes. This will live with my son forever. And we can’t even push forward with his statement as he will not be protected.

I guess my question to you is, do you know if anything is being done to protect the innocent people? Will these gangs ever be held accountable for destroying other peoples lives?

Something has to give, and I’m at a loss as to where to start.

So the action I seek from the Attorney-General is to advise me as to what I can tell my constituent in a situation where her family has no confidence in the justice system and they have experienced the revolving door of these youth thugs going through the system and being put out on the street and where her son does not even have the confidence to give a statement to the police so a prosecution can take place.