Toughen laws for vulnerable: MLA

THUGS who attack the elderly leaving them battered, bruised and hospitalised should be handed an automatic mandatory sentence, local politicians have urged.

Mt Lawley MLA Michael Sutherland is among those calling for a statewide introduction to mandatory sentences for “thugs and criminals who prey on the elderly and vulnerable” following a spate of violent incidents against pensioners in the area.

“I have had two recent assaults in my electorate which have made my blood boil,” Mr Sutherland said.

Mr Sutherland said he would now raise the issue with the Police Minister and the Attorney General and decide on action from there as to whether a motion will be tabled in Parliament.

In September, a call was made for mandatory sentencing following the attack on Sidney Brady, an 89 year-old man who was house-sitting his daughter's home in Dianella when several men broke in and bashed him.

However, at the time Premier Colin Barnett said he was disgusted by the assault but said mandatory sentencing laws were not the solution.

“If you were to have mandatory sentencing for assaults on elderly in all cases you would get some perverse results,” he said.

But Mr Sutherland said a clear message must be sent out to thugs who preyed on older people.

In October, Debbie Patten, a wheelchair-bound 51-year-old, who suffers from a brittle bone disorder, was robbed by four men when she stopped to have a pie for lunch in a Yokine park.

Ms Patten said the four men were initially friendly but a simple exchange with one of the group quickly escalated into a terrifying confrontation and robbery at Reader Reserve.

“They grabbed my arm and moved it this way and that way. They grabbed my bag and took my wallet. I just started the (motorised) chair and got out screaming,” she said.

Last week, the Yokine woman was robbed again in her own home. Her house was trashed and about $600 cash stolen.

“I’m terrified in my own home and feel like people are watching me. I was just lucky I didn’t go back inside my house while it was happening,” she said.

Ms Patten said she would like to see harsher penalties for home invasions and attacks on elderly.

Mr Sutherland said enough was enough. Several seniors had contacted him over the matter.

What everyone else is thinking

Ann Fimognari

26/10/2012

FOX. You need to engage your brain before putting your mouth in gear. I did not say judges/magistrates release them early, I said they don't impose the maximum sentence. There should be no parole for serious crime and no excuses
As I have experienced the discusting laws that allow criminals out to re - offend and have seen the consequences of this lack of DUTY OF CARE, I am entitled to express my opinion on a subject I have been personally involved in. What a pity victims of crime have to put up with opinions expressed by people like yourself who seem to know an awful lot about parole officers and early release. Is there a reason why you are trying to change the whole point that is being made here ?????? Your not an early release are you ???

18/06/2012

Fox - For your information Mr Know it all No Nothing, it is the judge/magistrate who does the sentencing, the parole board decides if they are eligible for early release but not before they have served the minimum time set down by the judge/magistrate. Get your facts right and so what if some one makes a spelling mistake it does not change a thing. I feel you may be on the perpetrators side. Stop fishing for something to make what is happening sound ok.

Fox

15/05/2012

Ann F

your incoherent rant shows you have no understanding of the criminal justice system you'd do well on say a Howard Sattler shock jock show. Judges do not decide whether prisoners serve their full term, the parole board does so your suggestion is nonsensical

Bobbie

Perverse???? Please explain Colin. Exactly what perverse outcomes are you thinking of? I would like to see work gangs of offenders. They could dig ditches, remove weeds, do cleanups of road verges. lay footpaths, clean out swamps and the like. Whilst doing it, they should wear large placards stating their offence e.g. "cowardly attack on elderly woman". If they are worried about the logistics of running such work gangs, why not try public stocks where victims or their family and friends are provided with rotten tomatoes and the like to hurl at them for a set period of time.

10/05/2012

THIS IS DISGUSTING! I see that judges and magistrates in Australia are not interested in upholding the law. It appears to be a case of, ' KEEP THE PERPETRATOR ON THE STREETS COMMITTING CRIMES, STUFF THE VICTIM, THEY DON'T KEEP ME IN A JOB - THE CRIMINAL DOES!! Laws are passed that give judges and magistrates the power to lock perpetrators up for long periods of time and yet they give them only TOKEN SENTENCES, if they even bother locking them up, after all who is going to pay for their holidays in Switzerland if no one is committing crimes. Judges and magistrates should be made answerable to a 'panel', that includes the victim(s), their immediate family, the police who were involved in the case, the doctors and ambulance persons who attended the victim(s), and if appropriate the coroner. If the criminal re-offends when released, and has not served the maximum time that the law allows for them to be locked up, the judge/magistrate should have to show good reason as to why he did not h

09/05/2012

I abhor attacks on the elderly. Mandatory imprisonment is not the answer though. It is a mindless and draconian mode of addressing the problem. As for mindlessness , mickyboy get a grip and maybe a smidgen of education while you're at it - the word you're looking for is discreetly not discretely!

Robbie

08/05/2012

Colin Barnett doesn't know what he is talking about. If he was attacked or any member of his family or his house broken in to and robbed I wonder how quickly he will change his mind on the subject.

Lesh

Seeing as I am one of the elderly locked up at night as though I am in prison, why not let us have a suitable defence weapon......namely a shotgun !!

Anne Jackson

Mickboy, I agree whole heartedly but you should have added an eye for an eye. If these cowards,which is what they are because they are never on their own, have it done to them then they may think twice about doing it to someone else. Singapore has the right idea in alot of ways.

gazza

"“If you were to have mandatory sentencing for assaults on elderly in all cases you would get some perverse results,” he said. "

HOW, Colin...?

Are there different ' degrees' of assaults on the elderly?

Mickyboy

They should be tried and if found guilty taken away and discretely disposed of. Tell me of one mitigating circumstance where these types of attacks are acceptable..... No there are none.