Sydney
The leader of a group of 14 Lebanese-Australians who gang-raped seven girls in a brutal, three-week spree was sentenced this week to 55 years in prison. It is the longest non-murder sentence ever handed down in Australia. Most Australian newspapers reported that the rapes were racially motivated. The teenage victims were all white, and some of them were called “Aussie pig” or “Aussie slut” or told they would be raped “Leb-style.” Some were raped repeatedly by all 14 men. The gang leader, whose name has not been released, was 18 at the time of the crimes, two years ago. He showed no remorse, and cursed the judge during his trial. The case has fueled anti-immigrant sentiment in Australia.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Taking aim at Venezuela’s autocratFeature The Trump administration is ramping up military pressure on Nicolás Maduro. Is he a threat to the U.S.?
-
Comey indictment: Is the justice system broken?Feature U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of lying and obstructing Congress
-
Government shuts down amid partisan deadlockFeature As Democrats and Republicans clash over health care and spending, the shutdown leaves 750,000 federal workers in limbo
