Teenager jailed for 'truly shocking' bashing and fatal crash

A teenager has received an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence for his role in a fatal car crash and a separate, brutal assault that left a man with lifelong disabilities. The court described the assault as "truly shocking" and "inhumane."

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It was cowardly and inhumane.

The teenager, who was 16 at the time, attacked 36-year-old Valentino Arop outside a housing tower in February 2025. The judge stated the assault was cowardly, involving a "king hit" from behind and subsequent kicking and stomping as Mr. Arop lay on the ground. This violent act resulted in a permanent brain injury and significant physical disabilities for Mr. Arop, requiring him to use a walking frame and impacting his ability to interact with his children.

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I'm so fearful of accepting his loss … I feel so bad. I cry all night.

Just three months after the assault, the teenager was placed on probation for unrelated crimes, including motor vehicle thefts and aggravated burglary. Within nine days of this probation, he stole an SUV, drove it while intoxicated, and ran a red light, causing a crash in Tarneit. His friend, 16-year-old Kevin Olenga, was a passenger in the vehicle and tragically died from his injuries.

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A life was lost and another irrevocably altered as a result of two separate incidents of offending.

Kevin's mother expressed profound grief, stating, "I'm so fearful of accepting his loss… I feel so bad. I cry all night." The judge acknowledged the driver had sustained a brain injury in a crash two years prior, which led to emotional difficulties, outbursts, and substance abuse. However, she expressed concern that this experience had not deterred him from engaging in dangerous driving again. The judge concluded by stating the teenager must live with the responsibility for his friend's death, in addition to the severe consequences for Mr. Arop.

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You will also have to live with the fact that you are responsible for the death of your friend.