An absurdity

The Parole Board Queensland have completely mishandled the situation

WHAT the Beasley family have experienced in the past four years is something no family should ever experience. The stabbing death of Jack Beasley on the streets of Surfers Paradise in December 2019 shocked the nation and shone a light on knife crime.

Tragically stabbed on a Surfers main street early on a Friday night out, he was just 17 years old.

The tragedy was a worldshattering blow to his parents Brett and Belinda. Their son had so much to live for and should have had decades ahead to fulfil his potential. Brett and Belinda’s grief is unimaginable but they have worked hard to ensure their son did not die in vain.

The state government introduced Jack’s Law which is aimed at curbing future knife crime and ensuring the tragedy the Beasley family have had to live with daily is never to be repeated again.

They, the police and the state government have worked in good faith to do this.

So it is absurd that the Parole Board Queensland (PBQ) made the decision to give one of his killers parole after completing half his sentence with scant regard for Jack’s parents feelings. They gave the Beasleys 21 days to respond to the bid, only to say four days later that it had already been granted.

It comes just weeks after the fourth anniversary of Jack’s death.

The young man had been due for release on January 15 after just four years behind bars before the decision was reversed following community outrage.

The state government on Tuesday confirmed the decision would be reviewed and hours later, the PBQ released a statement saying the man’s parole had been cancelled.

The Beasley family was informed a “mistake” had been made and offered an apology.

The Beasleys have welcomed the decision but it should never have been made in the first place.

While offenders should, and indeed have the right to be released after serving their sentence, the way this situation was handled beggars belief.

This family has already been through so much, the least they deserved was to be respected in the process.