- Review mulls tougher pedophile jail term
- The Age
- 20/03/2009 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: The Rooster ( 258 articles in 2009 )
Jail terms for convicted pedophiles will be increased in the first review of Victoria's sentencing for child sex offenders in 80 years.
The Victorian government has ordered the review following anger over a maximum nine-year term for a man late last year who attacked a girl two weeks after her 10th birthday, the Herald Sun newspaper reports.
The man attacked the girl in her bed after breaking into her home.
The maximum penalty for a sex attack on a child aged 10-16 is 10 years, a penalty unchanged since 1928, but the penalty for a sex attack on a child aged under 10 is 25 years.
The man is appealing the severity of his sentence.
Victoria's Sentencing Advisory Council will conduct the review, and wants submissions from the public, its chairman, Professor Arie Freiberg said.
"We know it's going to be difficult for people to talk to us about such an emotionally charged subject as abuse of children, but it will be crucial for the council to hear the range of views and opinions in the community," he said.
Sentences for a third offence, that of sexual penetration of a child aged 10-16 who is under the care, supervision or authority of the offender, will also be reviewed.
The 15-year maximum for that offence has also been in place since 1928.
© 2009 AAP
The Victorian government has ordered the review following anger over a maximum nine-year term for a man late last year who attacked a girl two weeks after her 10th birthday, the Herald Sun newspaper reports.
The man attacked the girl in her bed after breaking into her home.
The maximum penalty for a sex attack on a child aged 10-16 is 10 years, a penalty unchanged since 1928, but the penalty for a sex attack on a child aged under 10 is 25 years.
The man is appealing the severity of his sentence.
Victoria's Sentencing Advisory Council will conduct the review, and wants submissions from the public, its chairman, Professor Arie Freiberg said.
"We know it's going to be difficult for people to talk to us about such an emotionally charged subject as abuse of children, but it will be crucial for the council to hear the range of views and opinions in the community," he said.
Sentences for a third offence, that of sexual penetration of a child aged 10-16 who is under the care, supervision or authority of the offender, will also be reviewed.
The 15-year maximum for that offence has also been in place since 1928.
© 2009 AAP
Source: https://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/review-mulls-tougher-pedophile-jail-term-20090320-93k9.html
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