The parents of a murdered teenager say they were given less than three days to appeal the release of one of their son's killers after he spent just four years in prison.
Jack Beasley was just 17 when he was fatally stabbed on December 13, 2019, after getting into an argument with another 17-year-old and a 15-year-old during a night out with friends in Surfers Paradise.
The then 17-year-old (who cannot be identified for legal reasons) will be released on January 15 after serving four years of a seven-year manslaughter sentence.
Jack's father Brett Beasley and his wife Belinda say they were “devastated” when they learned the perpetrator, who the court heard instigated the attack, was almost a free man.
“The fact that we know he's going to get out sickens our nerves,” Mr. Beasley told the newspaper Courier mail.
Brett Beasley with his son Jack (pictured right), who was fatally stabbed during a night out in Surfers Paradise four years ago
'I'm going to try to fight it – not just for Jack, but for everyone affected by youth crime and knife violence.
'I think this man will offend again. He should stay exactly where he is: behind bars.”
Mr Beasley pointed out that the now 20-year-old had committed a series of other crimes, including armed robbery, and was on parole when he, along with a number of other youths, launched the attack on Jack.
On December 18, Ms. Beasley received a phone call informing her that the man had applied for early release.
The Beasleys were told they had 21 days to file a complaint with the parole board, but just three days later they received an email stating that parole had been granted.
Queensland Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd said she was aware of the case on Monday afternoon.
“I have had conversations with the Commissioner of Corrective Services and I will continue to ask questions about what we can do about this matter,” she said.
“I also tried calling Brett Beasley this afternoon but couldn't get through.
“I really want to find out what the facts are, what happened and what the course of action could be from there.”
The then 15-year-old who wielded the knife that fatally wounded Jack will be eligible for parole after seven years after being convicted of murder.
Jack was heading to the heart of the Gold Coast with his friends for a night out when they got off at Cypress Avenue to get money from an ATM.
Jack and Belinda Beasley (pictured center) address the media in April after one of their son's murderers appeals his sentence
Jack Beasley, then aged 17, was heading to the heart of the Gold Coast for a night out with his friends when he was fatally stabbed
The student and his friends encountered a group of teenagers who allegedly provoked the other boys.
When a fight broke out, Jack was stabbed in the chest and back.
He could not be revived and died in the hospital in the operating room.
Jack's parents founded the Beasley Foundation, which advocates for tougher laws against knife crime and aims to educate young people about the dangers of carrying guns.
The foundation's campaign led to Jack's Law in March, which allows police to use metal detection wands in Safe Night Precincts, at public transport interchanges and on public transport.
In March, as many as 400 guns were seized by police under Jack's Law more than 3400 handheld scanner operations have been carried out across Queensland.
This led to 1,070 people being charged with almost 1,900 crimes, mainly related to weapons and drug cases.
The weapons seized range from kitchen and butcher knives, tomahawks, hammers, hunting knives, brass knuckles and screwdrivers.