‘ Keep mongrels in jail’
THE grandfather of a murdered toddler has demanded politicians have a conscience vote on proposed laws that would mandatorily keep child killers in jail longer.
Mason Parker was only 17 months old when he was murdered by his mother’s partner Troy Reed in 2011.
He was sentenced to life in jail, with a non- parole period of 20 years.
Mason’s grandfather John Sandeman says the penalty – and that given to other child killers convicted of manslaughter – is not enough.
The LNP has proposed new mandatory penalties for child killers. It will be in addition to Labor’s new laws set to be adopted that will widen the definition of murder and add an aggravating factor to manslaughter for those who kill children 12 and under.
“We’d like to keep the mongrels in jail for life,” Mr Sandeman said.
After a year- long review Queensland’s Sentencing and Advisory Council recommended the aggravating factor for child killers.
The review found sentencing for the manslaughter of children was not adequate.
An aggravating factor would let the courts consider the defencelessness of the child, with an expectation penalties would be harsher.
The Government says it will introduce this recommendation and it will also redefine the crime of murder to include reckless indiffer- ence for human life, such as callous disregard for a child causing death.
For example, a person who sexually abuses a child to the point that they die would be able to be charged with murder and not manslaughter.
The LNP will support those changes but has proposed a new child man- slaughter offence with a mandatory 15 years in jail. The average has been less than seven years.
The minimum non- parole period for the murder of a child under 18 would also be increased from 20 to 25 years under the proposal.
Mr Sandeman said he wanted the politicians to have a conscience vote on the LNP proposal.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s office was contacted for comment about a conscience vote but they referred to the office of Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath. A spokeswoman for her office said it was not for them to decide on a conscience vote.