A 13-year-old boy charged with threatening fellow students and staff with a box cutter at a prestigious public school in Perth’s western suburbs has been granted bail, with concerns raised he is unfit to enter pleas.
The Shenton College student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in Perth Children’s Court on Wednesday charged with aggravated armed robbery, armed assault with intent to rob and assaulting a public officer.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was already on bail, and will appear in court again in May.Credit: Holly Thompson
The state prosecutor told the court messages between the boy and his friend the day before the incident allegedly asked them to record the assaults, before writing: “I want you to film at recess, at recess, Imma [sic] stab his ass.”
CCTV footage played in court from the day of the incident on March 19 showed at least one student being pushed over and punched, and the canteen being robbed. It was revealed there were nine alleged victims of the attack.
The boy allegedly held the box cutter up to a staff member at the canteen before taking the cash register and stomping on it multiple times.
His grandfather was at the school to pick the boy up when the incident occurred.
After he was arrested, he was taken to Royal Perth Hospital, where a police officer reported the boy repeatedly claimed he would source a gun to return and shoot at the school, before stating firearms cost too much and, if released, he would commit a robbery but take hostages to avoid arrest.
The state prosecutor told the court they were very concerned about such comments, even if “young people often make bold and silly claims they don’t mean”.
But the boy’s lawyer told the court the 13-year-old had the support of his family, who were willing to enforce a 24-hour curfew.
She also said he had hypomania and may not be fit to plead to the charges, and requested a fitness to stand trial report.
The boy became emotional during the hearing, yelling out to claim he had done nothing and stating he would have to be dragged back to Banksia Hill Detention Centre.
He also called the state prosecutor a “dumb c---” to which the magistrate intervened and told the boy he wasn’t helping himself.
He was granted bail under strict conditions to be at home at all times unless in the company of one of his parents or grandparents.
The boy is also not allowed within 100 metres of Shenton College or within 30 metres of any current students or staff, and cannot contact them by any means.
He will appear in court again on May 15.
The court also heard the boy faces charges in NSW of a similar nature to the alleged WA offending.
There has been a spate of children sentenced over knife attacks on fellow students and staff in recent years.
Children’s Court president Hylton Quail has previously raised concerns at the level of knife violence in WA schools while sentencing children to terms of imprisonment at Banksia Hill Detention Centre for more severe charges including attempted murder.
Most recently, a 15-year-old student at Carine Senior High School was sentenced to two years and seven months in jail after planning to attack fellow students using hunting knives. One student was injured when the 15-year-old attempted to carry out their plan in December.
Quail said that case bore similarities to a 14-year-old girl’s plans to stab and murder her teacher at Willetton Senior High School in 2021. She was sentenced to three years and one month behind bars.
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