Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington lodges appeal against horror Maryborough triple fatal sentence

The teenager who caused a crash that claimed the lives of three women will be returning to court after the Queensland Attorney-General lodged an appeal against the boy’s “manifestly inadequate” sentence. Kelsie Davies, 17, Michale Chandler, 29 and Sheree Robertson, 52, died in the horror crash in Maryborough on the Fraser Coast after a stolen car driven by the 13-year-old boy collided with their vehicles on April 30, 2023. On December 6, the now 14-year-old teenager, who cannot be identified under Queensland law, was sentenced in Maroochydore District Court to six years’ detention and is required to serve 60 per cent of the time behind bars. Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington confirmed on Monday that she had since lodged an appeal after reviewing the teen’s sentence and finding it “manifestly inadequate”. “I have instructed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to lodge appeals against two sentences which, in my view, fail to meet community expectations,” she said. “This horrific incident killed three innocent people and left a fourth victim with serious injuries. “Notices of appeal were lodged with the Court of Appeal registry today (Monday) on my behalf by the Director of Public Prosecutions. “As the appeal process is now under way, no further comment will be made on these matters.” The teenager was behind the wheel of a stolen Mercedes-Benz when the car clipped the back of a Holden Astra on Saltwater Creek Rd in Maryborough late at night. Ms Chandler was driving the Holden sedan carrying her passengers, Ms Davies and a third woman, Kaylah Behrens. The crash forced the stolen Holden Astra into the path of a Mazda 2, driven by Ms Robertson, who was returning home after working her shift as a nurse at Maryborough Hospital. All three women died at the scene, while Ms Behrens was hospitalised for 16 days with severe injuries. Following the sentence, Ms Robertson’s sister Lisa said she had “no faith in the justice system anymore”. “He’s out within two years and how much is my sister’s life plus the other girls’, it’s just not fair,” she said.