A Perth student who plotted with a friend to murder a teacher before trying to attack the victim with a knife in a meeting room at their school, has been sentenced to three years and one month in juvenile detention.
The girl, who cannot be identified, was 14 years old late last year when she and the 13-year-old friend used the social media app, Discord, to discuss how to kill the 55-year-old female teacher at Willetton Senior High School, in Perth's southern suburbs.
The two initially talked about burning down the school, but when that was ruled out, the friend sent a message saying "the stabbing idea should take over now".
The 14-year-old then researched what to do, and sent detailed messages to the other girl about how to stab the teacher, including how severing an artery near the armpit "can cause instant death".
Then on November 1, last year the 14-year-old brought a 32-centimetre knife to school from home and because she was subject to bag searches gave it to her friend to conceal.
Teacher escapes with minor injury
The knife was handed back to the student who then met the teacher in small room at the school, telling her she had "a good surprise" before lunging at her with what was described in the Children's Court, as "a calm and intent look on her face".
By that time, other students had alerted staff members after becoming concerned that the girl was serious about what she told them she was going to do.
Around the same time as the girl lunged at the teacher, a staff member was trying to get her attention, so she moved to get up, and fortuitously suffered only a minor one-centimetre wound near her armpit — although prosecutors maintained it was the 14-year-old's intention to kill her.
The girl then fled the school grounds but was arrested later that day and during a search of her home, police found a piece of paper with scribblings on it that included the words "murder" and "Monday".
During sentencing submissions, the girl's lawyer, Tony Elliott, said at the time his client had mental health issues, was in a state of emotional confusion and had an emerging personality disorder.
He said the exact reason why she targeted the teacher was not known, because the 55-year-old had spent a lot of time supporting and helping the girl and her family.
'Chilling, disgraceful and violent' crime: Prosecution
The girl pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted murder, with prosecutors arguing she should receive a substantial term of juvenile detention describing the teenager as "potentially dangerous" and calling her crime "chilling, disgraceful and violent".
Her parents, as well as the teacher, were in court to see her sentenced on Wednesday.
Perth Children's Court president Judge Hylton Quail told the court the girl had committed a serious crime, which carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
"Teachers must be protected and students must know there are serious consequences for trying to kill a teacher," he said.
But Judge Quail said he was significantly reducing her sentence because of "harsh and oppressive" conditions at Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre.
She will serve a minimum term of 15 months, backdated to August 19, the date she went into custody.
Judge Quail, who visited Banksia Hill yesterday, said the girl had spent half of her time in custody in rolling lockdowns, or solitary confinement, which were recently found by Supreme Court Justice Paul Tottle to be unlawful and harmful to children.
Over one six-day period, she spent 130 out of 144 hours locked in her cell, unable to take part in education or recreational activities.
He said the rolling lockdowns, caused by "critically low" staff levels, were likely to continue into the first quarter of next year.
"The effect on you and other detainees … is harsh and oppressive," he said.
Judge Quail said he believed the girl was truly sorry for what she had done but still could not explain why she did it.
He quoted a letter the girl recently wrote to the teacher in which she said, "I feel like a monster" and "I didn't want to exist but you still had hope in me".
Earlier this month the 13-year-old friend, who pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, was sentenced to 11 months juvenile detention — a term Judge Quail said he reduced because of repeated lockdowns at the Banksia Hill Juvenile detention centre which resulted in the girl being subjected to a form of solitary confinement.
