A minor who fatally stabbed a 16-year-old during a group assault, returning later to kick his dying body, has been sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison.
At the time of the incident in March 2022, the perpetrator was just 14 years old, and he was part of a gang of eight teenagers who attacked Declan Cutler as he left a house party in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
The group had initially gathered at a residence in Tarneit before heading to the party in Reservoir after watching confrontational online videos.
Declan became separated from his friends and was left vulnerable when the group's car pulled up alongside him.
Eight teenagers, armed with four knives, exited the vehicle and forcibly pulled Declan to the ground by his clothing.
While he lay defenceless on the roadside, some of the group members began stabbing him, while others stomped and kicked him.
After their initial attack, the teenagers briefly left the scene in their car but returned later to further assault Declan and steal his shoes.
Tragically, Declan succumbed to his injuries, suffering over 50 stab wounds.
Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Hollingsworth, in her sentencing on Tuesday, characterized the attack as frenzied, savage, and entirely unprovoked, emphasizing the shocking brutality captured in the footage.
The second youngest member of the group, now 16, pleaded guilty to murder and has been sentenced to up to 15 years in detention. He confessed to stabbing, kicking, and stomping on Declan, as well as removing one of his shoes.
He will be eligible for parole after serving at least 10 years, with Justice Hollingsworth recommending that he remain in the youth justice system until he turns 21.
An 18-year-old, who was 16 at the time and pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his involvement in the assault with a knife and stomping on Declan, received a four-year sentence in a youth detention facility.
Another teen of the same age, who admitted to kicking Declan and causing serious injury, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in youth detention.
All three individuals appeared in court via video link from their detention facilities.
During the sentencing, the judge strongly condemned knife-related crimes, describing them as a frightening issue for the broader community. She noted that violent knife crimes involving young offenders have regrettably become too common.
