Quinn De Campe: Three teenagers sentenced to more than six years in detention
Three teenagers who bashed a 16-year-old boy to death in Perth bushland have each been sentenced to more than six years in detention.
The boys were aged 15 and 16 when they hatched a plan to lure Quinn De Campe to isolated bushland in Balga three days before Christmas last year.
They intended to rob him but when he resisted, he was punched repeatedly and kicked in the head.
Children's Court president Denis Reynolds said the kick was so hard one of the boys injured his foot.
"It was clearly a forceful kick because it left a shoe imprint on his skull and gave you reason to limp," he said.
Quinn De Campe died in hospital the next day with a brain injury.
On Wednesday, defence lawyers argued the behaviour was out of character, and the boys did not plan to use violence, but got caught up in the "mob mentality".
However, prosecutor Linda Petrusa said the boys continued the attack even after the victim ran away, and were "determined to achieve the outcome [of robbing Quinn De Campe] regardless of what they needed to do".
It was a sustained, brutal attack to get money. It's sad that we have the consequence that we did for that paltry sum.
Today, Judge Reynolds accepted that proposition and said it was an "extremely serious case of group violence against an innocent member of the community".
"It was a sustained, brutal attack to get money," he said.
"It's sad that we have the consequence that we did for that paltry sum [$175].
"While the incident was of a relatively short duration, it wasn't momentary. The three of you were unrelenting ... and persistent.
"Quinn was outnumbered three to one ... They were overwhelming odds against Quinn."
Judge Reynolds said the trio had shown a "callous disregard for Quinn's welfare" by leaving him "severely harmed and incapacitated" and not calling an ambulance.
A fourth boy who lured the victim to the isolated area but did not take part in the assault was sentenced to three and a half years for his part in the aggravated armed robbery.
The judge said he was the leader of the group and could have called it off at any time, but did not.
"You knew Quinn, you knew that he would trust you," he said.
Yesterday, the attack was described by Judge Reynolds as being in "the worst category".
Quinn De Campe was a student at Duncraig Senior High School.
Parents speak of pain
Outside the court Quinn's uncle Leon Myers read a statement on behalf of his parents Shelley and Vaughan DeCampe, who stood beside him.
"Quinn grew up to believe that people's differences were to be celebrated and not judged," he said.
"This ultimately led to him losing his life.
"Regardless of the sentences handed down today, it will never change the fact that our son has lost his life in a cowardly and brutal attack that was perpetrated by juveniles.
"It is us and our families that will live with this life sentence.
"Nothing will ever take away the pain of losing Quinn, our only child."
The family hoped something positive would come out of the tragedy.
"It is important to discourage and hopefully diminish the prospect of such senseless crimes that we see all too often on our streets," Mr Myers read.
"Stay safe and look after each other."