Queensland’s Attorney-General is being urged to lodge an appeal against the sentence handed down to a Sunshine Coast learner driver who killed his passenger in a high speed crash at Bli Bli.
16 year old Ryan Kimball died instantly in the crash last June when the car, driven by the then 17 year-old learner driver, crashed into a power pole on Finland Road at an estimated 160km-180km/hour.
The now 18 year-old driver, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, driving as a learner without supervision, driving without L plates displayed as a learner driver and using a phone while driving.
On April 28 this year, he was disqualified from driving for 18 months, no conviction was recorded and his 18 month detention was suspended.
Ninderry MP, Dan Purdie, has joined with the Kimball family to call for Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath to urgently review the sentence and lodge an appeal.
“The sentence was manifestly inadequate, did not meet community expectations, hasn’t restored justice for the family and hasn’t sent an appropriate deterrent to other young drivers,” Mr Purdie said.
He said the driver has been let off with a “slap on the wrist”.
“I’m urgently calling on the Attorney-General to appeal this decision to send a stronger message to the community that dangerous driving does kill and people need to be held responsible for their actions,” he said.
Mr Purdie will write to Ms D’Ath today and plans to raise the matter in State Parliament next week.
