Advertisement

A one-man crime spree: Teen arrested for armed robbery, while on bail for 94 charges

After his arrest for an armed robbery allegedly committed while on bail for 94 charges, a teenage boy was released from custody.

Jun 29, 2023, updated Jun 29, 2023
 Queensland Police Officer. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Queensland Police Officer. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named due to his age, has since been remanded after his bail was set aside by Supreme Court Justice Peter Davis.

Police asked the court to review the teen’s release on bail on June 7 after his arrest for offences allegedly committed over the previous five days and in December.

The alleged June crime spree occurred while the teen was on bail for 94 offences including some that would endanger the safety of the community, Justice Davis said in a decision published this week.

The judgment states the boy accumulated a criminal history of many pages after a conviction for unlawful use of motor vehicles at the age of 15.

He has been subject to probation, restorative justice orders, reprimands, community service, detention and a good behaviour bond.

On April 27 he was bailed on 94 charges including 28 offences of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and 38 offences involving house breaking.

He was subject to a condition that he not leave his mother’s home between 7pm and 7am and feedback of his involvement in a bail program was positive.

But six weeks after being granted bail the teenager allegedly broke into and ransacked a house and vehicle at Redland Bay, southeast of Brisbane, at night, leaving his fingerprint at the scene.

“Had anyone been present at the house at the time, or had arrived home and confronted the intruders, the potential for violence is clear,” Justice Davis said.

“Disturbingly, the offence involved three offenders hatching some plan which they then carried into effect with the use of motor vehicles.”

In “more disturbing” events the followed on June 4, two men armed with a shovel and machete confronted a vehicle owner getting into an Audi in his driveway in the Brisbane suburb of Bulimba.

Justice Davis said the teenager was identified in footage as one of three males seen a few minutes before the robbery getting out of a stolen Mazda parked opposite the house.

“The inference is that he is either one of the two persons who stole the Audi or was the driver of, or passenger in, the Mazda,” Justice Davis said.

Even if he was not one of the two who committed the robbery, there is a strong inference the driver of the Mazda would face a strong case that he was an aider of the robbery.

The teen has had a difficult life that included periods of homelessness and had difficulty settling back into the community after time in detention.

“I am determined to break this cycle and live my best life”, he told the Brisbane Supreme Court in an affidavit.

Justice Davis said it was undesirable to have children in custody but bail should be refused when there was an unacceptable risk a child would commit an offence endangering the safety of the community.

“In my view, no conditions can be imposed which would adequately mitigate the unacceptable risk that the respondent will commit offences that will endanger the safety of the community or the safety or welfare of a person,” he added, setting aside the earlier decision to grant bail.

Local News Matters
Advertisement

We strive to deliver the best local independent coverage of the issues that matter to Queenslanders.

Copyright © 2024 InQueensland.
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy