Rugby star speaks out over youth crime after alleged knife attack

Rugby star Toutai Kefu is warning more needs to be done to tackle youth crime in Queensland before another family falls victim to a savage attack.

The former Wallaby's Brisbane home was allegedly invaded by teenagers armed with knives back in August.

Speaking to A Current Affair about his ordeal, Mr Kefu said his wife, Rachel, heard some noises downstairs and thought it was a possum.

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"She went downstairs and was quite shocked to be confronted by two intruders, she screamed, so I jumped straight out of bed, and I actually jumped down stairs from the second floor," he said.

"They lunged at Rach and hit her on the arm, and that's how she got her cut and soon as they did that I grabbed a stool and just charged both of them."

Mr Kefu's teenage children also got caught up in the alleged violence, which he feared may have escalated even further if not for the bravery of their neighbour, Ben Cannon.

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"I heard Rachel screaming and I ran to help, when I got to the front door, I was confronted with a pretty horrific scene," Mr Cannon said.

Mr Kefu was allegedly stabbed during the altercation.

"They just couldn't control the bleeding and they sliced my liver and I lost a fair bit of blood and they just couldn't control the bleeding until they actually had to operate," Mr Kefu told A Current Affair.

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His wife also received a serious injury to her arm, and is still suffering.

"We're just hoping, fingers crossed, that with ongoing physio therapy they can get back close to what it was normally. We're just not sure yet, we don't know how it's healed, but she's a trooper. She's doing the best she can," he said.

Four teenagers, one as young as 13, are now before the courts, charged with more than 40 offences, including attempted murder.

But Mr Kefu said he feels sorry them.

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"They've had a different upbringing to my kids. So, there's a problem there with how they've been brought up, and I feel sorry for them, I pray for them, because they're not going to have the same lives that our kids are going to have. So, I really do feel sorry for these kids, because they're not getting the right mentorship or leadership in their lives, especially at that age," Mr Kefu said.

His neighbour Mr Cannon is calling on the government to do more.

"I feel really sorry for them, but I think my anger is more at the system," Mr Cannon said.

Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said the state is in the grip of a youth crime crisis.

"You've got to get to a situation where there are consequences for actions, otherwise you get this revolving door, which is the Queensland youth justice system and every day Queenslanders end up as the collateral damage," Mr Crisafulli said.

Assistant Police Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon heads up Queensland's Youth Justice Taskforce, which is dedicated to fixing the problem.

"Ten per cent of young people are causing 48 per cent of the crime, so that's a small group, less than 350 at any time," Assistant Commissioner Scanlon said.

But legislation has already been changed to fix some of the issues.

"We've strengthened the legislation and we're very confident with what we're seeing early on," she said.

"There is much more to be done, but it's important we do that, because we need to minimise the harm."