<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A teenager who killed a Queensland grandmother and triggered landmark </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/youth-crime" rel="" target="" title="youth justice"><span>youth justice</span></a><span> laws has lost an appeal over his 16-year sentence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The boy was 16 years old when he fatally stabbed Vyleen White in a carjacking outside a shopping centre west of </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/brisbane" rel="" target="" title="Brisbane"><span>Brisbane</span></a><span> in February 2024, sparking state-wide outrage.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The crime was the catalyst for controversial "adult crime, adult time" laws, ensuring juveniles face at least 20 years in custody for serious offences like </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/murder" rel="" target="" title="murder"><span>murder</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/meta-to-slash-thousands-of-jobs-in-ai-push/ddbeef78-ee8c-452d-a3fa-e367845a07ae"><strong><span>Meta to slash 8000 jobs as tech giant embarks on aggressive AI spend</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, they were not retroactive, and the boy was sentenced under the state's previous laws, receiving a 16-year jail term.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appealed, claiming his jail term was excessive for a non-premeditated murder and that the sentencing judge had made an error.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The boy received the highest sentence ever handed down in </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/queensland" rel="" target="" title="Queensland"><span>Queensland</span></a><span> to a 16-year-old for a single stable murder, defence barrister Matthew Hynes told the Court of Appeal justices in March.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/vyleen-white-boy-who-killed-grandmother-in-car-jacking-loses-appeal-queensland-court-news/57b0fed9-7795-4e06-877e-7e478e125d93" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is a case where there is a single stab with fleeting attention," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, the court dismissed the appeal, rejecting the arguments.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An advocate said outside court in March that the boy's appeal was an insult to White's traumatised family and there would be community outrage if the original sentence was not upheld.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A precedent needed to be set and this was the right precedent to be set," Victims 1st ambassador Lyndy Atkinson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The teen pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced in November 2025.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He is likely to be released from custody in late 2033, about the time of his 26th birthday, after 60 per cent of his sentence is completed with time already served.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a 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