There’s a chorus of voices calling for tougher youth justice laws in the wake of the deaths of a young couple in Alexandra Hills on Australia Day.

Pregnant woman Kate Leadbetter and her partner Matty Fields were fatally struck by a four-wheel-drive at Alexandra Hills.

It’s alleged a 17-year-old was behind the wheel, and was allegedly out on bail.

Bill Potts, a former president of the Queensland Law Society who runs Pots Lawyers, said the circumstances around the teen’s bail was unclear.

“It’s hard to tell [why he was on bail],” he said.

“While I understand the call for justice, and the call for action, in the present moment, we simply don’t know.

“Often magistrates, doing a very difficult job, are seeing lots of people come before them, find themselves being given not sufficient information or indeed sometimes, they might find even the police prosecutors are effectively consenting to bail with conditions.

“It’s very easy to look backwards with twenty twenty hindsight and say this was a tragedy which was entirely preventable.”

Click PLAY to hear more 

Shadow Police Minister Dale Last said the juvenile crime problem was “raging out of control” across Queensland.

“Where has the government been for the last 5 years?”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Image: iStock

Politicians gear up for youth justice legislation overhaul in Queensland