15-year-old who drove ute that crashed and killed Nicole Tucker should be sentenced as an adult, court told

A 15-YEAR-OLD who was behind the wheel of a stolen ute that crashed and killed a mother-of-two should be sentenced as an adult because of his extensive criminal history, the Youth Court has heard.

A 15-YEAR-OLD who was behind the wheel of a stolen ute that crashed and killed mother-of-two Nicole Tucker should be sentenced as an adult because of his extensive criminal history, the Youth Court has heard.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has had 60 offences dealt with by the court over the past four years, prosecutors allege.

The boy appeared in court on Friday and pleaded guilty to two charges relating to thefts and a break-in at Morphett Vale between October 4 and 5, during which a Holden Ute, laptop computer and iPad were among the items stolen.

He had previously pleaded guilty to one aggravated count of causing 48-year-old Ms Tucker’s death by dangerous driving.

Ms Tucker was killed on South Rd at the Southern Expressway intersection at Bedford Park on October 6 when a ute travelling about 160km/h slammed into her vehicle.

Images of the fiery crash which killed mother-of-two Nicole Tucker at Bedford Park on October 6. Picture: Raden Guritno.

A 17-year-old pleaded guilty in November to being a passenger in the stolen ute.

He also admitted to stealing the ute and driving it unlicensed, trespassing and other offences.

Police prosecutor Paul Tate asked the court on Friday to sentence the 15-year-old as an adult because of the gravity of the offence and his “pattern of repeat offending”.

“(The youth’s) age has to be viewed against the history he has accrued over the past four years,” he said.

Mr Tate said the court had dealt with 60 offences relating to the boy since 2013, including making off without payment, interfering with a motor vehicle, serious criminal trespass and breaches of bail.

He said the teenager had been sentenced to youth detention on four occasions.

Mr Tate further told the court the boy was unlicensed and under the influence of cannabis at the time of the fiery crash on October 6, and he left the scene without rendering assistance.

Phil Crowe, for the youth, acknowledged his client’s past but said he “understands and acknowledges this is an extremely serious offence”.

He asked the court to sentence him as a youth because he was 15 years, three months and two weeks old at the time of the offence.

Senior Judge Penelope Eldridge reserved her decision on whether she would sentence the boy as an adult.

She will hand down her decision in February.