Gang of youths arrested over armed carjacking at Macca’s at Munno Para

The actions of the youngest member of an alleged youth gang are escalating so rapidly that the community is at risk, a court has heard.

The youngest of seven youths accused of committing armed carjackings and robberies at fast-food outlets is “a threat to community safety” despite being just 12 years old, a court has heard.

On Tuesday, SA Police told the Youth Court that the alleged crimes of the boy, who cannot be named under state law, were so serious he should be electronically tracked and under curfew.

A prosecutor said that, in addition to his group’s alleged actions at McDonald’s Munno Para, they were also involved in incidents of violence at the chain’s Elizabeth restaurant after meeting at the nearby train station.

Gang of youths arrested over armed carjacking at Macca’s at Munno Para. Picture: David Gray/AFP

“These three separate robberies, committed between 9pm and midnight, were a group effort that occurred within a short space of time,” she said.

“It’s clear that, after the first two robberies were attempted, the youths as a whole continued until they were successful.

“Additionally, (this boy) is charged with having taking a 17-year-old victim’s watch and hitting him in the face on September 13.

“While he is of a young age, his behaviour is escalating... without monitoring in place, his behaviour is a threat to the community’s safety.”

The boy was one of seven youths, aged between 12 and 15, arrested after a carjacking at Munno Para over the weekend.

Police alleged a man was assaulted and his Toyota Corolla stolen in the violent robbery in a McDonald’s carpark just after midnight on Monday, September 23.

They further alleged one of the youths threatened the man with a box cutter and stole his phone and car keys before the group took off in the victim’s car.

The alleged victim, 27, of Marion, was taken to hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.

The stolen car was recovered on Hogarth Rd at Elizabeth South just before 5pm on Monday and as a result of investigations police arrested seven youths over the incident.

Those arrested were a 12-year-old from Elizabeth South, a 13-year-old from Elizabeth South, a 14-year-old from Blakeview, a 15-year-old from Blakeview, a 14-year-old from Mawson Lakes, a 14-year-old from Athol Park and a 13-year-old boy from Ottoway

They have yet to enter pleas to charges of aggravated robbery, and were refused police bail following their arrests.

On Tuesday, counsel for the boy said she would likely argue their client lacked the necessary knowledge to have criminal intentions, known at law as “doli incapax”.

After a failed attempt to have the courtroom closed to the media, she asked the boy be bailed to his mother’s northern suburbs home without any further restrictions.

“Supervision would be heavy-handed at this stage, given his age,” she said.

Magistrate Tracee Ann Micallef noted the boy’s lack of prior convictions for offending, along with his age, would normally warrant unsupervised bail.

However, she said the need to protect the community, his “affiliation” with his co-accused and the gravity of the charges warranted supervision.

“With some hesitation, but balancing out all of those factors, I’m going to grant supervised bail,” she said.

She told the boy to obey his bail conditions and not contact his co-accused, then asked him what he thought would happen if he failed to do so.

“I would get locked up,” the boy, who appeared by video link, replied.

“And do you think I would let you out again?” Ms Micallef asked.

“No,” he replied.

She remanded him on bail to face court again next month.

Counsel for one of the 13-year-olds said their client had recently experienced “significant trauma”, which had upset his previously “relatively perfect upbringing”.

He said the allegations had served as “a wake-up call” to three generations of his client’s family, who had pledged to assist him if granted bail.

Ms Micallef released him on supervised bail, banned him from returning to the scenes of the alleged offending, and ordered be observe a 7pm to 7am curfew.

She said she would not consider “anything less than home detention bail” for the three 14-year-olds, and remanded them and the other 13-year-old in custody until next month for suitability reports.

Counsel for the 15-year-old did not apply for bail – Ms Micallef said that was a “wise move”, and remanded him in custody until next month.