Thaindian News

Melbourne, Dec 22 (IANS) A teenager in Australia was sentenced to 13 years in prison Thursday for stabbing to death an Indian student here last year.

Nitin Garg died of his injuries after a 15-year old tried to snatch his mobile phone while the former was walking through a park on his way to work in January last year, The Australian reported.

Supreme Court judge Paul Coghlan today sentenced the youth, who cannot be identified, to 13 years in prison for the murder, with a minimum of eight years before parole.

Justice Coghlan said, without a guilty plea, the sentence would have been 16 years with 12 years before parole. The teenager, who has already served 18 months in jail, is now aged 17.

In his judgement, Justice Coghlan said he accepted the boy had not intended to kill Garg, saying the foreign student was a “completely innocent” and random victim chosen not because of his race but because of his mere presence in the park.

“Although this is a very serious crime, it was committed spontaneously,” said Justice Coghlan.

Garg, following the attack, tried to call 000 before dropping his phone. But his call did not get through. He staggered to the Hungry Jacks where he worked before collapsing just inside the door.

The teenager was arrested six months later, after a friend he was with came forward to police.

The murder made international headlines, coming after a series of vicious attacks on Indians in Victoria, sparking fears it would put Australia’s multi-billion-dollar international student sector at risk.

Then deputy prime minister Julia Gillard had condemned the attack, while the Indian government warned it could affect bilateral ties.