A Western Australian judge has been slammed by the State’s Corrective Services Minister over the sentencing of a teenager.
Judge Wendy Hughes sentenced a 17 year old boy to 12 months in detention for a range of offences including attempted car theft with a weapon and a police chase.
Three counts of assaulting custodial officers were also laid against the boy too but Judge Hughes didn’t issue a specific sentence for that.
When issuing the sentence, she said state had “well and truly failed” him in not addressing his behavioral issues including his ADHD and conduct disorder diagnoses.
She says it was the fairest way she could deal with the situation.
Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia has hit out at the judge saying the sentence was an absolute failure and he will consider appealing the sentence.
Gary Mack from the Law Society of Western Australia suggested to the ABC that the minister shouldn’t be involving himself.
He says “it’s not the role of a member of the executive to be involved with the judiciary, and that’s because it undermines the administration of justice and the public confidence in the justice system”.
Minister Papalia’s comments seemingly go against those made by Premier Roger Cook earlier this month when he said he wasn’t chasing votes on youth justice and his government has a better pathway than the tough on crime approach.
