Teen charged over Edinburgh RAAF crash that killed Atem Kuany may face court as an adult
Facing court for the first time since he was allegedly behind the wheel during a crash that killed his friend, a teen has heard he may face adult penalties if found guilty.
North & North East
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The boy charged over a horror police chase and crash that left his friend dead may be tried as an adult.
The 16-year-old, from Craigmore, has been behind bars on remand since the crash in mid-September, and did not face court himself because he has Covid.
In his stead, a police prosecutor on Wednesday told the Adelaide Youth Court a briefing would be provided to the Department of Public Prosecutions ahead of a possible application for higher courts to hear the matter.
“It’s intended that the brief will be supplied this afternoon to the DPP for consideration as to whether a section 16 or 17 application will be made,” he said.
Those two sections of the Youth Offenders Act relate to bumping Youth Court matters up the magistrates and district courts.
The effect, if the teen is found guilty, is that he would face significantly harsher penalties.
The sections state the application can be made based on the “gravity” of alleged offences and because the allegations are “part of a pattern of repeat offending”.
It also states the application can be made if the DPP decides “the youth poses an appreciable risk to the safety of the community”.
The teen, who cannot legally be named, was arrested in the immediate wake of the crash and charged with a litany of allegations.
Those included aggravated causing death by dangerous driving, leaving the scene of a serious crash, driving while disqualified and failing to answer questions about the driver of the vehicle.
Police alleged Atem Kuany, the 17-year-old who died in the crash, was left dying on the ground when the teen, and two other passengers. left the scene of the crash.
He will next face court in February when it is likely it will have been determined if he will be dealt with as an adult.
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