Victoria's Supreme Court sentenced Thursday a 17-year-old teenager to 13 years for stabbing dead an Indian student at a park in January 2010.

Justice Paul Coghlan handed the sentence on the convicted murderer only known as JLE in court records for the death of Nitin Garg, 21. The victims' family and friends were not present in court during the sentencing.

Coghlan said despite JLE not knowing if he had stabbed Garg and having no intention to kill, was guilty of "constructive murder'' because the killing occurred in the process of committing a violent offence - attempted armed robbery, according to News.com.au.

JLE stabbed Garg in the stomach at the Cruickshank Park, Yarraville in an attempt to steal his mobile phone while the latter was going to Hungry Jack at 9:30 p.m. The boy did not snatch the mobile phone and went home watching a movie with his friend before going to sleep.

The judge said JLE felt no concern upon learning the next day that his victim died and investigators said he initially denied being at the park at the time of crime, which caused an uproar in India because of several attacks on Indian students in Victoria.

JLE has been detained for 18 months and will be eligible for parole in eight years.