In a shocking case on the Gold Coast, two teenage girls, aged 16 at the time, have been sentenced to probation for their involvement in the torture and tragic death of Irish teen Cian English. The incident occurred on 23 May 2019 at the View Pacific apartments, where English fell to his death while attempting to escape a group accusing him and a friend of drug theft.

The Brisbane Supreme Court revealed that the unnamed girls filmed and posted a series of horrifying videos on social media, capturing the larger group torturing English and his friend over a 27-minute period. The footage portrayed the victim being stabbed, bruised, and threatened with violence.

Crown prosecutor Caroline Marco highlighted the girls’ callous remarks during the ordeal, quoting one as saying, “This is why you don’t steal shit from the boys,” and another cruelly stating, “The bad bitch I am, making this sad * clean his own blood up.” After English’s fatal fall, the girls fled the scene along with three male co-accused, all previously sentenced for manslaughter.

While Justice Peter Applegarth condemned the girls’ reprehensible actions, he acknowledged their age at the time and the challenges they faced in their upbringing. Despite having rehabilitated from drug use and being employed, the girls were sentenced to two years’ probation with no recorded conviction for one count of torture and two counts of armed robbery.

The lenient sentence has sparked a public debate given the gravity of the case and the emotional impact statements delivered by the victims’ families. English’s mother, Siobhan, expressed ongoing pain and loss, underscoring the challenges in finding justice for such acts.

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