Are WA laws too soft… on those who commit… unthinkable acts of violence. 

That’s the question being asked today… after another weekend of violence in Northbridge. 

And it comes after the sentencing on Friday… of Danny Hodgson’s attacker. 

Danny was left fighting for his life in hospital last year… after a teenager punched him in the head… at Perth Train Station. 

Danny walked out of hospital on Friday… after seven months of rehabilitation… and will suffer the lingering effects of the attack… for the rest of his life. 

On the same day… his teenage attacker… was sentenced to three years and eight months in jail. 

Three years and eight months. 

Then there’s the case of Paramount nightclub manager… Giuseppe Raco…. Who was killed in a sickening… one-punch attack in 2020… while he was waiting for a kebab in Northbridge. 

Guiseppe never regained consciousness… and his family had to make the decision… to switch off his life support. 

The drunk 26-year-old who attacked him… was sentenced to 7 ½ years in jail — but… with parole... he can walk free in five. 

Five years for killing a husband, a father… Doesn’t really seem like justice, does it. 

What makes it even worse…. Is WA was actually the first state in Australia… to introduce one-punch laws in 2008… after a series of fatal attacks. 

We were the first to recognise the problem… and to take decisive action… to try and prevent it. 

But over the next 10 years… every other state introduced even tougher laws… and WA was behind the eight ball again. 

Then in 2016… WA got with the program… and doubled the maximum penalty… for one-punch deaths… to 20 years in jail. 

That’s all well and good… but with no mandatory minimum sentence… there’s no guarantee... that perpetrators of the most senseless... violence... will ever pay the full price. 

And if the violent act … results in permanent disability and not death... well... the penalty will seem like a slap on the wrist... especially to the family of the victim. 

That’s why Danny Hodgson’s mum... has called for the WA government... to introduce a mandatory minimum sentence... for this sort of violence. 

In New South Wales, for example... the mandatory minimum sentence is eight years.... if a one-punch attack causes death. 

WA could absolutely benefit from similar legislation. 

But there’s another problem with all this... the stats show that tough laws... can only do so much... to curb this sort of violence. 

So it’s important that we look at toughening the law... as just one part... of a multi faceted strategy... that also involves education and policing. 

Unfortunately there’s no easy solution... but I think we can all agree that more needs to be done. 

Are WA laws too soft&hellip; on those who commit&hellip; unthinkable acts of violence.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s the question being asked today&hellip; after another weekend of violence in Northbridge.&nbsp;
And it comes after the sentencing on Friday&hellip; of Danny Hodgson&rsquo;s attacker.&nbsp;
Danny was left fighting for his life in hospital last year&hellip; after a teenager punched him in the head&hellip; at Perth Train Station.&nbsp;
Danny walked out of hospital on Friday&hellip; after seven months of rehabilitation&hellip; and will suffer the lingering effects of the attack&hellip; for the rest of his life.&nbsp;
On the same day&hellip; his teenage attacker&hellip; was sentenced to three years and eight months in jail.&nbsp;
Three years and eight months.&nbsp;
Then there&rsquo;s the case of Paramount nightclub manager&hellip; Giuseppe Raco&hellip;. Who was killed in a sickening&hellip; one-punch attack in 2020&hellip; while he was waiting for a kebab in Northbridge.&nbsp;
Guiseppe never regained consciousness&hellip; and his family had to make the decision&hellip; to switch off his life support.&nbsp;
The drunk 26-year-old who attacked him&hellip; was sentenced to 7 &frac12; years in jail &mdash; but&hellip; with parole... he can walk free in five.&nbsp;
Five years for killing a husband, a father&hellip; Doesn&rsquo;t really seem like justice, does it.&nbsp;
What makes it even worse&hellip;. Is WA was actually the first state in Australia&hellip; to introduce one-punch laws in 2008&hellip; after a series of fatal attacks.&nbsp;
We were the first to recognise the problem&hellip; and to take decisive action&hellip; to try and prevent it.&nbsp;
But over the next 10 years&hellip; every other state introduced even tougher laws&hellip; and WA was behind the eight ball again.&nbsp;
Then in 2016&hellip; WA got with the program&hellip; and doubled the maximum penalty&hellip; for one-punch deaths&hellip; to 20 years in jail.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s all well and good&hellip; but with no mandatory minimum sentence&hellip; there&rsquo;s no guarantee... that perpetrators of the most senseless... violence... will ever pay the full price.&nbsp;
And if the violent act &hellip; results in permanent disability and not death... well... the penalty will seem like a slap on the wrist... especially to the family of the victim.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s why Danny Hodgson&rsquo;s mum... has called for the WA government... to introduce a mandatory minimum sentence... for this sort of violence.&nbsp;
In New South Wales, for example... the mandatory minimum sentence is eight years.... if a one-punch attack causes death.&nbsp;
WA could absolutely benefit from similar legislation.&nbsp;
But there&rsquo;s another problem with all this... the stats show that tough laws... can only do so much... to curb this sort of violence.&nbsp;
So it&rsquo;s important that we look at toughening the law... as just one part... of a multi faceted strategy... that also involves education and policing.&nbsp;
Unfortunately there&rsquo;s no easy solution... but I think we can all agree that more needs to be done.&nbsp;

If you enjoyed listening to The West Live for your daily news fix, then come and join us over on The Nightly Five.  Host Ben O’Shea continues to deliver punchy news and analysis, in a new podcast to get you in front of tomorrow’s news today!  Subscribe on your favourite podcast player and visit the thenightly.com.au

If you enjoyed listening to The West Live for your daily news fix, then come and join us over on The Nightly Five.  Host Ben O’Shea continues to deliver punchy news and analysis, in a new podcast to get you in front of tomorrow’s news today!  Subscribe on your favourite podcast player and visit the <a href="https://thenightly.com.au">thenightly.com.au</a>

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