Teen with 21 page history sentenced on another 45 charges in Cairns Childrens Court

A teenage boy diagnosed with FASD, who was introduced to meth at 12 while he was in residential care, has been sentenced on 45 charges.

A teenage boy has been sentenced on 45 charges. Picture: iStock image

A teenage boy diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, who was introduced to cannabis at the age of 10 and meth at 12 while he was in residential care, has been sentenced on 45 charges.

The 17 year-old pleaded guilty to 45 charges in Cairns Childrens Court, which included numerous counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlawful entry, common assaults and domestic violence offences.

The boy was being sentenced for offences that predate the making Queensland Safer Laws when the boy was 16.

Police prosecutor Mary Molloy told the court he had a 21-page juvenile history starting in June 2022.

“By November 2022 he had received six months’ probation,” she said.

“The history shows escalation of reoffending where he received further periods of probation and a sentence in detention for four month on a conditional release order.

“In May 2024 he was sentenced to five months’ detention, a further five months in July and in August a further four months, finally in September a further three months to be served by conditional release order.”

Ms Molloy said the boy was remanded in custody on the current charges in November and had served 202 days in detention, about seven months, with 12 days spent in Queensland watch houses.

The prosecutor also made an application to declare the teen as a serious repeat offender, which was declined by Magistrate Mandy Bowen who said there was little relevance as the boy was turning 18 and his history would be available to the court if he was sentenced as an adult anyway.

Defence counsel Yassar Khan told the court the boy had been diagnosed with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder and foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Mr Khan said the boy was placed into the care of the Department of Child Safety at the age of seven or eight.

“His mother was deported and he suffered significant abuse from his father, who was jailed for that offending,” he said.

“He ended up in a residential house and that was when he was introduced to illicit substances.

“He instructs he first had cannabis at the age of ten and then methylamphetamine at the age of 12.

“The other residents were older and they were bad influences.”

Mr Khan said the boy had a learning disorder and his mother had used drugs while she was pregnant.

“He is now drug free, he is in good health, he is now thinking clearly and he has demonstrated insight into his offending and his future,” he said.

Mr Khan said the boy was being assisted by YETI and he was hoping to get his licence and employment.

Speaking to the magistrate the teenager, who was chatty and energetic, said that his period in detention was the longest he had been away from his family.

“I could have been with my brother,” he said.

Ms Bowen said the boy had a “terrible history”.

“Your period of detention of seven months is one of the longest I have seen,” she said.

“I acknowledge you have had a terrible upbringing, but if you don’t get past that now you are going to end up in Lotus (Glen Correctional Facility).

“You have had it tough and the community suffers because of this.”

Ms Bowen sentenced the boy to 202 days in detention, with the time declared towards his sentence and a probation order of six months.

Originally published as Teen with 21 page history sentenced on another 45 charges in Cairns Childrens Court