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🇦🇺 Australia /Crime & Justice

NSW targets gangs accused of hiring children for violent crimes

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • New South Wales plans tougher laws for organised-crime violence, including adult penalties for some young people convicted of serious offences.
  • The proposals follow investigations into the suspected mistaken-identity shootings that killed university student Marco Tapia and 40-year-old Joshua Macdonald.
  • The government also plans to spend $15 million on police technology to target criminal networks using encrypted devices and digital platforms.

Young people accused of carrying out organised-crime violence could face adult penalties under proposed laws in New South Wales, as the state moves against gang networks that recruit children for killings and other attacks.

Premier Chris Minns announced the measures after police began investigating the suspected mistaken-identity shootings of university student Marco Tapia and 40-year-old Joshua Macdonald in Sydney last week. He said violence linked to organised crime had begun affecting innocent people and families with no connection to criminal activity.

This is immoral, evil behaviour from organisations that are intent on making money from the misery of other people in our community and we are determined to stop it.

· Chris MinnsThe NSW premier condemned organised-crime violence affecting innocent people and families.

The legislation would create aggravated offences for conspiracy and attempted murder, raising the maximum sentence from 25 years in prison to life. Interim orders would also allow urgent restrictions on where a person can go, whom they can contact and which devices they can access before the Supreme Court makes a full order.

for a very small amount of money

· Mal LanyonThe NSW police commissioner described the payments allegedly offered to children recruited for violent crimes.

Serious children’s indictable offences would be expanded to include organised-crime conduct such as public shootings and firebombings. Young people accused of those offences could be tried in higher courts and face adult penalties if convicted.

Police have said underworld figures operating offshore have hired young people to carry out killings and other violent crimes. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said some children were being contracted for very little money and showed little regard for the consequences. He urged parents and community members with information about young people becoming involved with criminal networks to contact police.

The police force will continue relentlessly to target these people.

· Mal LanyonLanyon said police would continue pursuing people involved in gang-related violence.

The government also plans to invest $15 million to expand police technology aimed at breaking into networks that communicate through encrypted devices and digital platforms. Minns said the government had not lost control of organised crime but acknowledged a worsening disregard for human life.

We do think there is a problem. [There is] a disregard for human life that I haven't really seen before.

· Chris MinnsThe premier acknowledged the changing nature of organised-crime violence.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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