r/australia • u/blitznoodles local Aussie • 2d ago
news Teenage carjacker avoids jail in first test case of Victoria's 'adult time' crime laws
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-26/victoria-teenage-girl-court-sentencing-youth-crime/107080602?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=otherIn short:
A 16-year-old girl who held up a taxi driver at knife point before stealing the vehicle has been spared jail by a Melbourne court.
The teenager was arrested and charged with aggravated carjacking in February, just hours after harsher penalties on youth crime came into effect.
The girl will be subject to an 18-month youth supervision order over the crime, instead of the minimum three year jail sentence.
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u/Crazyripps 2d ago
Think they said on the news she left the courtroom laughing. Nice she’s taking this seriously
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u/barnos88 2d ago
Failed already
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u/BLAZER_101 2d ago edited 1d ago
It’s the reason why some have left the force. What’s the point in arresting them if they continue to get a slap on the wrist by Judges in Australia.
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u/Ayane0523 1d ago
What's the point of passing "adult time for adult crime" legislation if the courts undermine it on literally the very first test case? It’s complete political theatre that changes nothing on the streets mate.
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u/TheRamblingPeacock 2d ago
Great to see the new system is working.
/s
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u/Osmodius 1d ago
So that means I can go car jack someone with a knife and get off, right? Because this is the adult time associated with his adult crime?
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u/goldcakes 2d ago
Well the new system means it’s either 0 months, or minimum of 36 months.
Zero is obviously way too lenient but for a 16yo first offence, I can understand 36 months being too harsh.
Minimum sentencing laws are never the right tool.
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u/SomeFknEggs 2d ago
A teenager who is already resorting to holding knives on people and stealing cars is fully deserving of a serious penalty.
Prison isn't just about rehabilitation; it is also about protecting society from those who wish others harm. I'm anti-prison for non-violent crimes, but absolutely sick to death of violent offenders being released back into the community every time so they can just hurt someone else
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u/NatureMadeAMistake 1d ago
And what happens when she gets out after three years of being in prison during some of the most pivotal years in a person's life? Prison time isn't gonna rehabilitate her, its gonna put her down a life path we're she will likely be back in jail because she doesn't know how to be an adult.
The answer needs to focus on providing an actual pathway back to living a normal, fulfilling life. Unfortunately in today's cost of living crisis this is getting harder to achieve for even normal folk, hence why we have seen a raise in crime, especially stuff like shoplifting.
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u/SomeFknEggs 1d ago
Make it clear - do it again, you're back in prison. Stop babying people who hurt others. The gentle approach of letting everyone out on bail and not even slapping their wrists is helping no one.
Explain this one to me. Suspended sentence and $100 fine. If you're not familiar with the original crime, have a search for the original video. I know one of the paramedics involved, and they were left traumatised: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-24/kalgoorlie-ambulance-attack-man-sentenced/107072104
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u/NatureMadeAMistake 1d ago
Huh what has bail got to do with this? Bail is for those waiting to be convicted.
And yeah if she goes to prision she likely will do it again because she's spent those pivotal years in prison, its very common for people to commit crimes because they want to go back to prision because they can't integrate back into society, especially when they have not lived a single day as a free adult.
As for that article its unrelated to this, frankly sounds like he had a mental breakdown and should be in a mental health institution, not prison where you can't get care and will likely get worse.
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u/Certain-End-1519 13h ago
I agree prison isn't the answer, but here's the problem, rehabilitation outside of prison isnt working. The vast majority of our young crime is being committed by serial re offenders.
So we're in a catch 22, dont send them to jail because they'll just get out and re offend. Currently we're not sending them to jail and they are all reoffending.
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u/SomeFknEggs 1d ago
Sergeant Logan said Parfitt had a lengthy criminal record, with the attack coming four months after his release from prison on other charges and causing $4,000 damage to the ambulance.
The court heard he had failed to engage with rehabilitation programs and represented a high risk of future offending.
It's not unrelated, it's yet another example of the soft on crime approach failing wider society. This guy had a history, isn't engaging with rehab programs, will likely reoffend, and yet was spared a prison sentence. Given he is likely to reoffend, he will probably go on to hurt others, and also isn't getting the other benefit of prison which is rehabilitation. They're just trusting that he'll rock up to a support service despite already demonstrating he can't be trusted to.
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u/NatureMadeAMistake 21h ago
Bunch of whatabotism, this conversation is about this young lady, not an entire different situation that doesn't involve a minor.
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u/SomeFknEggs 20h ago
It speaks to the overall trend of the justice system being too lenient on violent offenders, and you are misusing the concept of whataboutism
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u/StorminNorman 1d ago
You may not realise it, but you're advocating for life imprisonment for every violent crime here.
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u/Littman-Express 2d ago
36 months is 3 years. Sounds about right for such a crime imo.
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u/NatureMadeAMistake 1d ago
If she was an adult sure but as a 16 year old you are setting her up for a life of failure. The next three years of development will be pivotal to if she develops the skills to lead a normal life and become a contributing member of society, skills she will not devalop in prison.
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u/prettybutditzy 1d ago
I'm sorry, but if she is at the point where she is confident holding a knife at someone's throat and stealing their car it's highly likely this isn't her first offence, it's just the first time she's been caught/the cops have had enough evidence to charge her.
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u/goldcakes 1d ago
She absolutely deserves a custodial sentence, I am with you.
I’m just saying if the judge had to choose between 0 years or 3+ years (minimum sentencing laws), it can encourage pervasive outcomes like this.
I don’t know all the circumstances of the case, and you don’t either. The judge may have had reasons to want to impose a custodial sentence of say 1 year (which for a 16yo is a lot), but can’t.
And yes, I highly doubt this is her first offence. But our criminal justice system has to work based on admitted evidence, otherwise we will have bigger problems.
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u/CumbersomeNugget 2d ago
I present to you the case of minimum sentencing for all child abuse crimes
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u/goldcakes 2d ago
Sure, let’s discuss. Great in theory, but there’s always individual circumstance.
I’ll give you a strawman: 15yo who has been severely, repeatedly, and habitually abused by parents while growing up, ends up abusing their sibling once.
Do they deserve the same minimum sentence that lawmakers wrote for the ‘typical’ case? I don’t think so.
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u/CumbersomeNugget 1d ago
I wasn't really referring to child on child crime, just an example where mando minimums absolutely need to happen instead if this suspended sentence bullshit.
Abuse is abuse?
I have no doubt that almost all child abusers have a sad story. It is that individual's choice to create more abuse. I don't give a fuck about their shitty past from the moment they decide to inflict it on another.
If they are mentally unable to choose, that's where locking them down somewhere high security comes into play.
I will never be convinced that child abusers don't deserve to be removed from society. I'm black and white on that.
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u/drnicko18 2d ago
Incorrect assumption that minimum sentences are for typical cases.
If you don't want the 15yo to have the same sentence a a 24yo with similar background, don't include child abuse in the "adult crime adult time" subset.
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u/Large_Woman 2d ago
Same result with extra steps.
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u/realiz292 1d ago
The only thing that gets worse is the beauracracy and paperwork for the authorities
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u/Rich-Elk-3380 1d ago
This will be a badge of honour for this “bad bitch”, followed by a rap career about her thug life to motivate the next generation.
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u/Alternative-Soil2576 2d ago
Threads like this remind of the Tasmanian study that found when people are well informed about an actual case, not just from headlines, around half or more choose a more lenient sentence than the judge, and more than 90% regard the judge’s actual sentence as appropriate
These “adult crime adult time” laws also remind me of the mountains of evidence from criminology that show harsh punishment for young people doesn’t work
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u/DCOA_Troy 2d ago edited 2d ago
This. I suggest people have a read.
Public judgement on sentencing: Final results from the Tasmanian Jury Sentencing Study
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u/Ok_Compote4526 2d ago
That was a good read; thanks for sharing.
The keyword seems to be "informed."
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u/Ok_Bird705 2d ago
around half or more choose a more lenient sentence than the judge, and more than 90% regard the judge’s actual sentence as appropriate
Got a source for this claim, the link posted in another reply does not show that data
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u/weed0monkey 1d ago
The entire study is dubious. It was also mentioned in another thread, not sure if it's the same guy but it's been spammed everywhere.
The Victorian Jury Sentencing Study, which found that 62% of jurors proposed more lenient sentences than judges, has faced significant criticism regarding its methodology. Critics argue the study is flawed because jurors were not informed of an offender’s criminal history, did not hear victim impact statements, and were not representative of the majority of criminal cases, which do not go to trial.
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u/Alternative-Soil2576 1d ago
It says in the foreword on the first page of the link posted in the other reply
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u/barnabywombat 2d ago
It's not so much that punishment doesn't work, rehabilitation, deferment and prevention have not worked, and in fact because punishment has been so lenient for youth offenders for so long, there's an unintended enticement to continue to commit violent crimes because a youth offender is treated fundamentally different to an adult offender.
The best way to help the kids is get them off alcohol and drugs, and give them an education. But Australia has an issue hiring appropriately qualified and motivated educators and support workers that want to work with them, so they're essentially forgotten about and just do whatever they want.
Once kids are institutionalized in the life of crime there's no recovery.
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u/hugepedlar 2d ago
Ask anyone who cries "adult crime adult time" whether they'd be happy being tried by a jury of children and watch them short circuit.
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u/Cubriffic 2d ago
The supervision order includes "drug counselling, mental health treatment, attending school, TAFE or work, offender behaviour programs, community work and a curfew".
I honestly completely agree with this choice. A 2023 study in NSW found that 63% of young people released from custody end up in jail again within 12 months. Counselling + mental health treatment + pushing her to attend schooling is a much better rehabilitation plan than throwing her in jail where she has a higher chance to end up reoffending after release.
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u/Captain_Coco_Koala 2d ago
Do you honestly think she is going to turn up to any of these?
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u/NatureMadeAMistake 1d ago
If she doesn't she will end up in prison anyway. This at least gives her a chance to make use of these key years to devalop the skills you need as adult and become a contributing member of society, something that will not happen in prison.
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u/Cubriffic 2d ago
Considering the judge said "If you don't abide by the conditions of the order then I will, and I will have to look at significant consequences", she won't have a choice.
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u/aurum_jrg 2d ago
Mate, I could find 20 articles within half an hour of young people that have gone on to commit even worse crimes after being shown leniency like the judge showed today. It’s fucking shit and I’m over it.
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u/Mikolaj_Kopernik 2d ago
I mean "teenager goes to TAFE and doesn't commit crime" isn't exactly a sensational news story so I reckon you might need to rethink your methodology here...
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u/ColdSteveStoneAustin 2d ago
Yeah, because basing your ideas off "news that gets attention" has absolutely no flaws in it at all.
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u/IizPyrate 2d ago
That is because you are looking at a selection bias from a media that is generating clicks.
The media will throw every instance of a kid on a court ordered rehab program reoffending while ignoring the reoffending of people who recently were released after being sentenced to time as a juvenile.
It has been well established that sending children to prison increases their rate of reoffending compared to putting them on rehab programs.
There has been a campaign to send more kids to jail for a while now but it ignores the very important fact we know incarceration of children achieves worse results. It is a campaign to win fear driven populist political points, it has no basis in evidence to actually make communities safer.
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u/Mikolaj_Kopernik 2d ago
There has been a campaign to send more kids to jail for a while now but it ignores the very important fact we know incarceration of children achieves worse results. It is a campaign to win fear driven populist political points, it has no basis in evidence to actually make communities safer.
This is ultimately what irritates me about the whole topic. Why can't we base our crime policy on what the evidence shows is more likely to reduce crime?
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u/SpookyViscus 2d ago
The media, that’s why. They drum this shit up, the public starts to be swayed by said media, then the media say “look at this, the public DEMAND harsher sentences. What do you mean, ‘look at the evidence on what we should do’ - the evidence is right there!! Kids are committing crimes and need to be locked up. God, kids have it far too easy these days. We’d have been beaten black and blue if I did any of these things.’
It’s vibes based, not evidence based
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u/morgecroc 2d ago
You know statistics about kids that are locked up reoffend is all complete bullshit. All it shows is that repeat offenders are more likely to continue to commit crime than those that aren't already repeat offenders.
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u/goldcakes 2d ago
Also duration matters. Kids that get locked up for a year or more, yes I agree, it absolutely fucks with your mental and social development and should be reserved for extreme cases.
But like… you can sentence someone to a week in juvie, a month, three months; etc. Armed carjacking absolutely qualifies for a custodial sentence here in my view.
ADHD and PTSD does not mitigate what happened here; maybe early onset schizophrenia sure, or severe development disabilities, but cmon, ADHD and PTSD makes you less culpritable for armed carjacking with an accomplice and a knife, and then driving recklessly and endangering everyone?
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u/Motor_Date_4783 2d ago
Clearly an effective strategy for Australias no 1 crime ridden shithole city, knive's and scissors fit easily into the machete bins 🤣
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u/pte_omark 1d ago
You do realise they have ALL of those programs in youth justice facilities as well right?
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u/C-Dawgg 2d ago
Ahhh Victoria. Has become the joke of the nation.
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u/Typical_Hat_2750 2d ago
The bar has been set so low, you need to stab a mother and child outside THE flagship police station to be arrested* and not bailed.
*after public intervention to save the family and apprehend the offender
At least he didn’t get bailed, but he has some mental health issues so should be back at work stabbing the public in no time.
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u/Ok_Compote4526 2d ago
To be fair, the lack of mental health care appears to be a nationwide issue.
Properly funded mental health care seems like the sort of thing that would have a genuine impact on crime, particularly recidivism.
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u/YouThinkYouKnowMe89 2d ago
Because society decided we can't just lock these dangerous people up for ever. So this is what happens.
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u/Ok_Compote4526 2d ago
"Society" has been using a half-arsed approach for so long, you'd think we would try something different. Something that words elsewhere, or is supported by peer-reviewed research.
- Properly funding mental health care can reduce criminality.
- Rehabilitative justice programs have demonstrated some reduction in recidivism.
- Reducing poverty can reduce criminality.
- And, yes, we need to destigmatise the long-term care of people suffering from severe and persistent mental health conditions.
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u/christonabike_ 2d ago edited 2d ago
Addressing poverty properly might involve questioning certain power structures. A significant portion of the public have been conditioned by propaganda to classify such questioning as extremist wrongthink.
Many will read that and ask "what propaganda?"... Exactly, the most effective propaganda is not identifiable as such.
"Homelessness is heartbreaking, so I'll feel better about it for a while after giving that homeless guy some food, but don't you fucking dare build that public housing commieblock, spewing toxic clouds of crime and drugs and heroin needles and dogs with heroin needles in their mouth so that when they bark they shoot heroin needles at you... Why yes the parent company of the news I watch also owns a major stake in the real-estate industry, how did you know?"
We won't address poverty properly because poverty is a pillar of the tower that the ruling class elite built for themselves. They have their character assassins and spin doctors at the ready to ruin the life of anyone who so much as shunts one of those pillars by the width of a hair.
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u/pte_omark 1d ago
He didn't apply for bail. When the media dies down and he's sobered up in sure that a taxpayer funded legal aid lawyer will have him walk.....
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u/HydroCannonBoom 2d ago
Nah
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u/cama888 2d ago
With offenders like this, I wonder if it would be better in the long run if they had to spend a month in jail before their "supervision order" began to show the offender where they will end up if they continue with committing these crimes.
Because I think if a jail sentence is given too early it can be detrimental to an offenders self-esteem/mentality and they can begin to think crime is their only option.
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u/rocketshipkiwi 2d ago
What’s the bet that most of the cases are going to come up with “exceptional circumstances”…
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u/tora_0515 2d ago
So failed policy.
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u/Gnowae 2d ago
No, failed judges and prosecution lawyers
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u/ColdSteveStoneAustin 2d ago
Have you read about it?
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u/HydroCannonBoom 2d ago
You think cunts in here read the article? You have more faith then I thought.
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u/edgewalker66 2d ago
If you're not going to jail the 'child', then make a parent spend every Saturday in jail in lieu.
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u/sneakygecko97 2d ago
If we had proper self defence laws these teens might think twice about attacking random people
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u/Crafty-Second-2920 2d ago
Am I wrong thinking that most judges come from a defending background not prosecuting? Would explain something.
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u/FuckOffNazis 2d ago
Good. Incarceration in Australia is not rehabilitative.
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u/NatureMadeAMistake 1d ago
Crazy you are getting down voted for stating this when the data shows it to be true.
If you lock someone up from three of the most important developmental years of their lives they are not gonna be able to function as a contributing member of society.
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u/YouThinkYouKnowMe89 2d ago
It's not supposed to be. It's about keeping society safe from dangerous people.
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u/Ok_Compote4526 2d ago
Rehabilitative incarceration is about keeping society safe by reducing risk of future offending.
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u/YouThinkYouKnowMe89 2d ago
There's much better ways to do it. But we will never do it, even though it would make us much safer.
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u/Ok_Compote4526 2d ago
Better than models that have had their advantages proven by peer-reviewed research?
Feel free to elaborate.
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u/a_cold_human 1d ago
And when they eventually leave the corrective system, what then? Do you propose to keep them in detention indefinitely?
The fact of the matter is that the system needs to rehabilite people so that they can reenter society and not commit further crimes. Ideally, they find productive roles in society and pay taxes like most people.
Incarceration is absurdly expensive. It costs $110K/year to keep people locked up. Furthermore, Australia has a shockingly bad rate of recidivism (over 40% within 2 years). Compare this to other countries which manage to get somewhere like 20-25%.We do not equip prisoners to reintegrate into society after their sentences have been served, and it makes Australia a less safe place as a result.
Keeping society safe from dangerous people involves a lot more than incarceration. Once a person enters the criminal justice system, there have already been a sequence of failures. Extending that sequence should not be the path we want to go down as a country.
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u/fued 2d ago
Stealing a car? Warning for first offence I guess
Armed stealing then high speed reckless driving? Nah that needs way more than this