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| Teen's jail term eased over 'dehumanising' time in Barwon adult prison | Teen's jail term eased over 'dehumanising' time in Barwon adult prison |
| (7 months later) | |
| Teenager who killed man at 15th birthday party sentenced to eight years with minimum of four years and nine months | |
| Australian Associated Press | |
| Wed 28 Jun 2017 05.09 BST | |
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| The jail term handed to a teenager who fatally stabbed a man at a 15th birthday party in Geelong has been moderated to account for the “dehumanising” time he spent in Barwon adult prison. | The jail term handed to a teenager who fatally stabbed a man at a 15th birthday party in Geelong has been moderated to account for the “dehumanising” time he spent in Barwon adult prison. |
| But the victim’s mother has blasted the non-parole period of less than five years as inadequate. | But the victim’s mother has blasted the non-parole period of less than five years as inadequate. |
| The teenager, who was then 17 and on parole, killed 27-year-old Nathan Gent with a pocket knife as he tried to calm youths brawling outside the party in June 2016. | The teenager, who was then 17 and on parole, killed 27-year-old Nathan Gent with a pocket knife as he tried to calm youths brawling outside the party in June 2016. |
| He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and in the Victorian supreme court on Wednesday he was jailed for eight years with a minimum of four years and nine months. | He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and in the Victorian supreme court on Wednesday he was jailed for eight years with a minimum of four years and nine months. |
| Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth’s sentence took into account the six months the 18-year-old was detained in “dehumanising” and “unduly harsh conditions” at Barwon. | Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth’s sentence took into account the six months the 18-year-old was detained in “dehumanising” and “unduly harsh conditions” at Barwon. |
| But the victim’s mother, Anne Gent, said the sentence was simply “wrong”. | But the victim’s mother, Anne Gent, said the sentence was simply “wrong”. |
| “For taking someone’s life, it’s bullshit,” she told reporters outside court. “And to know he was on bail and priors and all the rest, where’s the justice?” | “For taking someone’s life, it’s bullshit,” she told reporters outside court. “And to know he was on bail and priors and all the rest, where’s the justice?” |
| Gent was said her son was a “lovable boy” who was generous to his siblings and would “give you the shirt off his back”. | Gent was said her son was a “lovable boy” who was generous to his siblings and would “give you the shirt off his back”. |
| “He was my boy. I miss him,” she said. | “He was my boy. I miss him,” she said. |
| The birthday party where the stabbing occurred was advertised on Facebook and a large group of guests turned up. | The birthday party where the stabbing occurred was advertised on Facebook and a large group of guests turned up. |
| The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, did not know the host and shortly after he arrived he pushed one boy and punched another. | The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, did not know the host and shortly after he arrived he pushed one boy and punched another. |
| Racist abuse was hurled at the teenager, who was born in war-torn Liberia and came to Australia as a refugee aged six. | Racist abuse was hurled at the teenager, who was born in war-torn Liberia and came to Australia as a refugee aged six. |
| “You yelled out that you would fight every one of them out the front, ‘one by one’,” Hollingworth said in her sentence. | “You yelled out that you would fight every one of them out the front, ‘one by one’,” Hollingworth said in her sentence. |
| A fight erupted outside between two groups of youths, some armed with fence palings. The victim, a friend of the host’s parents, went outside to try to defuse the situation. | A fight erupted outside between two groups of youths, some armed with fence palings. The victim, a friend of the host’s parents, went outside to try to defuse the situation. |
| “Mr Gent was unarmed, and was not behaving aggressively,” Hollingworth said. “You took several steps across the road towards him and stabbed him. | “Mr Gent was unarmed, and was not behaving aggressively,” Hollingworth said. “You took several steps across the road towards him and stabbed him. |
| “The cause of death was a stab wound to the chest, which had punctured his heart.” | “The cause of death was a stab wound to the chest, which had punctured his heart.” |
| At the time the teenager was on bail for earlier offences, including minor thefts and threatening police with weapons. | At the time the teenager was on bail for earlier offences, including minor thefts and threatening police with weapons. |
| After his arrest he spent nearly six months in the Grevillea unit where children were detained at the maximum-security Barwon adult prison. | After his arrest he spent nearly six months in the Grevillea unit where children were detained at the maximum-security Barwon adult prison. |
| He struggled to cope with the “extreme isolation” in that wing and tried to kill himself several times, the court heard. | He struggled to cope with the “extreme isolation” in that wing and tried to kill himself several times, the court heard. |
| “Children detained there were frequently kept in lockdown for 23 hours a day and handcuffed during their limited periods of release,” Hollingworth said. “I have moderated your sentence to take that into account.” | “Children detained there were frequently kept in lockdown for 23 hours a day and handcuffed during their limited periods of release,” Hollingworth said. “I have moderated your sentence to take that into account.” |
| In May the supreme court declared it unlawful to detain youths in the unit and ordered them to be moved out. | In May the supreme court declared it unlawful to detain youths in the unit and ordered them to be moved out. |
| Victoria | |
| Melbourne | |
| Crime - Australia | |
| Australian police and policing | |
| Prisons | |
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