Face of Nation : The sentence for a teenage boy who catastrophically injured a police officer by running him over is unacceptably lenient, the Queensland Police Union says.
Constable Peter McAulay’s life changed forever when he suffered life-threatening injuries on duty in Ipswich last year. He was attempting to stop the 16-year-old driver, who struck him while swerving to avoid stingers the officer had deployed on the road
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, received a three-year detention sentence in Ipswich Children’s Court on Friday for a malicious act with intent causing grievous bodily harm. But he will be released in March next year after being ordered to serve half his sentence, including time already served.
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers says Const McAulay has been handed a “life sentence”. “(The sentence) says it’s okay, if you’re a police officer, for this to happen,” Mr Leavers said outside court.
“That is unacceptable. “It shows the courts are well and truly out of touch All Pete did wrong on that day was turn up to work to do his job to protect the community.” The union has not ruled out asking Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath to appeal the sentence. Const McAulay labelled it “disappointing”.
He will never regain full mobility having suffered severe leg, head, neck and back injuries which required two months in hospital and 10 operations. He has vowed to continue the road to recovery. “It has been tough. Nothing’s ever going to be the same,” he said.
