A teenage girl was raped, subjected to considerable force and left with psychological injuries that may remain with her for the rest of her life. The offender pleaded guilty, and the judge acknowledged the seriousness of his actions while questioning whether he genuinely understood the harm he had caused.

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Despite those findings, the offender received an 18-month prison sentence that was wholly suspended, meaning he will serve his sentence in the community rather than behind bars.

I suspect many Canberrans reading about this case would have asked themselves the same question.

How does a crime of this seriousness result in no immediate imprisonment, and does that outcome reflect what our community expects from the justice system?

The ACT Supreme Court heard that the victim was frightened, physically overpowered and prevented from answering her ringing telephone. She described losing her dignity, confidence and sense of self, while Justice Andrew Muller found that the offender had used considerable force.

Courts must consider a range of factors when sentencing young offenders, including their age, circumstances and prospects for rehabilitation. Those considerations matter, but so do the experiences of victims, the seriousness of offending and the need for appropriate deterrence.

This decision comes at a time when Canberra has experienced several concerning incidents involving violence, firearms and knives.

On October 2, two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, suffered stab wounds following an altercation near Calwell Shopping Centre in Tuggeranong, with police also receiving reports of males carrying baseball bats.

A week later, ACT Policing charged two men following an alleged armed robbery at a Hughes supermarket. Police allegedly located an illegal firearm during one arrest, while another man was charged with breaching good behaviour obligations.

That same evening, a teenager suffered........

© Canberra Times