Teenage rapists laugh it off in court

A GANG of teenage rapists whispered and laughed before they were sentenced to three years in youth detention for a degrading sexual attack on a young mother.

Crime victim groups have criticised the law that allowed the magistrate to dish out only low-range sentences for what were worst-category crimes.

The thugs, aged 17, 16 and 14 at the time of gang rape in country Victoria in January last year, attacked a married mother, 21, in her home.

Her two children were asleep in a nearby room during the attack.

The three pleaded not guilty to charges including rape and indecent assault.

In sentencing the youths yesterday, a Children's Court magistrate said none of the three was remorseful.

The magistrate described the gang rape as a "cruel, callous and degrading" attack on a "vulnerable young mother".

He gave the youths the maximum possible penalty available.

The maximum sentence for rape in the adult jurisdiction is 25 years' jail. In the Children's Court, the maximum is two years in youth detention, and if there are multiple counts, the maximum is three years.

The magistrate found five charges proved against the 17-year-old, seven against the 16-year-old and eight against the 14-year-old. None had prior convictions.

The victim is still traumatised and suffers emotional and family problems, her victim impact statement says.

Crime Victims' Support Association president Noel McNamara said last night that magistrates presiding at children's courts sometimes felt frustrated that their hands were tied.

"They just can't do the right thing because the laws aren't there," Mr McNamara said.

He described youth detention centres as "holiday camps" for serious under-age offenders and said he would raise the issue of juvenile sentencing restrictions at a meeting with Attorney-General Robert Clark.

"The law has got to be changed," Mr McNamara said. "It's just a disgrace."

A spokesman for Mr Clark said last night that it would be inappropriate to comment on the case.

heraldsun.com.au 6 Mar 2012

Another example of how the government has created laws that are in support of the criminals, and to the disadvantage of the victims.

Laws are put in place almost overnight to put in extra speed cameras for revenue raising, but when it comes to hineaous criminal acts, decades go by with deliberately no action.