The teenager who murdered 70-year-old Ipswich woman Vyleen White last year has been sentenced to 16 years behind bars.
Ms White was fatally stabbed in the chest by a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, shortly after she parked at a Redbank Plains shopping centre in February 2024.
Following the attack, which was witnessed by Ms White’s young granddaughter, the teenager stole her car and fled the area.
The now 17-year-old, who pleaded guilty to her murder and other charges earlier this year, faced a sentencing hearing in the Supreme Court in Brisbane yesterday.
Ms White was fatally stabbed at a shopping centre, south of Brisbane. (ABC News: Victoria Pengilley)
Killing ‘particularly heinous’
Submissions were made by prosecutors and his lawyers about what penalty the teenager should receive, taking into consideration Queensland’s previous youth justice legislation in place at the time.
Both legal parties agreed the killing should be found to be particularly heinous, which would allow for a sentence higher than the previous maximum of 10 years.
On Thursday, Chief Justice Helen Bowskill made that finding, and also found the teenager had special circumstances, including his youth, early guilty plea and prospects of rehabilitation.
Because of this, she reduced the amount of time he must serve in custody from the maximum of 70 per cent of his sentence, down to 60 per cent.
With time already served, the teenager will be released in 2033.
Ms White’s killer was sentenced on Thursday in the Supreme Court in Brisbane. (Supplied)
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