A sentence of life detention for a 14-year-old convicted of murder was manifestly excessive where the offence, though sustained and ferocious, was not premeditated, the offender had no prior violent offending, was assessed as having extremely low cognitive functioning and immaturity, and had prospects of rehabilitation. The violence of a juvenile's offence does not itself demonstrate maturity beyond the offender's years. An order permitting publication of a child offender's identifying information under s 234 of the Youth Justice Act 1992 (Qld) should not be made where the community's interest in the child's rehabilitation would likely be prejudiced and there is no demonstrated good reason for departing from the general legislative prohibition.
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