dailytelegraph.com.au monday, november 30, 2009 news 19 Jail: Jock Palfreeman Embassies vigil FRIENDS of former Sydney private schoolboy Jock Palfreeman will meet outside Bulgarian embassies ahead of his sentencing this week. The 22-year-old is in jail in the Bulgarian capital waiting for the courts to deliver a verdict after he was charged two years ago with murdering a man during a street fight. He faces 20 years in jail. Supporters plan to visit the Bulgarian Embassy in Canberra as well as Bulgarian Embassies in Athens and London today to remind authorities of their concern and will also hand out leaflets. Performing: Singer Damien Leith with Pride of Australia medal nominee Kate Smith yesterday Picture: Sam Ruttyn Leith hails nation’s unsung heroes pride ofaustralia ™ nationalmedal200 9 Xanthe Kleinig NEW Australian Damien Leith will perform for an audience of heroes — including cancer survivor Kate Smith — at the Pride of Australia Awards ceremony tonight. Ms Smith, 23, who battled neuro- blastoma from birth, is one of seven finalists vying for the young leader category at the awards, an initiative of News Limited newspapers includ- ing The Daily Telegraph. The awards recognise ‘‘unsung heroes’’ in categories including brav- ery, care and compassion, commun- ity spirit and emergency services. ‘‘I’ve met people who do volun- tary work every single day, just doing it and getting involved,’’ Leith said. ‘‘They never look for praise, they just do it because they want to.’’ He will sing his signature hit Hallelujah during the gala ceremony at Sydney’s Westin Hotel, which will also include a performance by INXS and video messages from Prince Charles and actor Hugh Jackman. Leith became an Australian citizen three years ago after he married local woman Eileen, with whom he has two young children Jarvis and Jagger. ‘‘This is where I’m raising my kids and I’m very proud of that,’’ he said. Ms Smith has devoted most of her life to voluntary work, despite her first operation to remove a tumour leaving her with nerve damage. During school she got involved with various charities, including World Vision and Cancer Council. ‘‘I’ve always been interested in doing as much as I can,’’ Ms Smith said. ‘‘What I hope someone would do for me if they had time.’’ Watch the awards live from 8pm at prideofaustralia.com.au How will a killer grow up Child sentences deferred Janet Fife-Yeomans Crime Editor CHILDREN who kill will have their final sentence postponed, sometimes until they are adults, under a radical plan being con- sidered by the State Government. It would give courts the oppor- tunity to see how young murderers mature as they grow up and their potential for rehabilitation — or whether they posed a danger to the community. However, while the provisional sentence could be reduced in the future, it could not be extended. And families of the victims of young killers would be shut out of the final sentencing decision. The recommendations were made by the NSW Sentencing Council in a report to be released today. Called provisional sentencing, it would be the first in the world and Attorney-General John Hatzi- stergos said it would be a radical departure from existing laws, which would provide for finality in all sentencing decisions. The debate was sparked by the case of a 13-year-old boy who murdered a three-year-old neigh- bour he barely knew. He broke into her parents’ home at night and stabbed the girl through the heart. Trial judge Justice James Wood, who jailed the boy for 20 years with a minimum term of 10 years, said at the time that because of his age and immaturity it was difficult for ex- perts to accurately predict what motivated him or whether he would kill again. The plan is for the new sentencing to apply to children aged between 10 and 14 who were convicted of murder. The court would set pro- visional minimum and maximum terms, reviewed when necessary. The plan has already split the state’s legal community. The Children’s Court opposed the proposal with a submission stating young people needed finality and the victim’s family needed closure, while both the Law Society and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions voiced concerns. But the plan has been backed by the Public Defenders Office and the State Parole Authority. The report states that between 2001 and 2007, 16 murders were committed by juveniles but it could not say how many were under the age of 14. They were jailed for between 11 and 23 years. www.milandirect.com.au XMAS SALE NOW ON! www.milandirect.com.au milandirect.com.au wholesale designer furniture $499 $129 $99 $179 $289 $49 $399 091127_30501 $79