Girl, 14, sentenced for robbing 101-year-old man on mobility scooter on Mitchell St in March
The girl – who had 32 notifications to authorities for neglect and exposure to DV – has been sentenced for an attack on an 101-year-old man in Darwin, during which he says could not ‘fight back’.
A Territory judge has told a teenage girl to “stay out of trouble” after sentencing her for robbing a 101-year-old man on a mobility scooter in the Darwin CBD earlier this year.
Justice Sonia Brownhill sentenced the 14-year-old on November 18, for the attack which took place on Mitchell St on March 4 this year.
During the attack, the elderly man was robbed by three girls, aged 14, 15, and 19 at 9.30pm, in an attack Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro labelled “an abhorrent, cowardly attack”.
The court heard two of the girls grabbed the elderly man by his arms so hard they pierced his skin, while a third searched through his trousers pockets and his scooter.
“The victim suffered bruising and lacerations on his arms, which bled considerably. He had skin tears on his hand and both forearms, including one that
was 6 centimetres by 2 centimetres,” Justice Brownhill said.
“Those skin tears were not able to be sutured because of his frail skin. His wounds were washed out and dressings applied.”
The trio stole $50.00 and some loose change, the court heard, but returned his keys to the man after also snatching them.
The court heard the trio wanted the money to buy cannabis – an admission made the 15-year-old co-accused, Justice Brownhill said.
Through a victim impact statement, the court heard the attack left the man feeling “angry” as “he could not fight back or protect his pockets”.
“He is now nervous about going out at night on his scooter,” Justice Brownhill told the court.
The teen was also sentenced concurrently for a breach of bail offence, and Justice Brownhill told the court the 14-year-old “has been the subject of 32 notifications to authorities relating to neglect, emotional harm, exposure to alcohol intoxication, domestic violence, verbal abuse and lack of supervision”.
But the girl, originally from a community in Central Australia – which this masthead cannot name in order not to identify the girl – will be back with her parents, with a period of supervision ordered, the court heard.
As the girl had no prior criminal history and entered an early guilty plea, Justice Brownhill said the girl’s rehabilitation prospects were good, sparing her a conviction.
The girl pleaded guilty to theft and using force with the intention of committing an offence, which was aggravated as she was in company of her two co-accused.
The maximum penalty for the offence is life in prison, but Justice Brownhill sentenced the girl under the NT Youth Justice Act.
The young girl was also “genuinely remorseful” for what happened, Justice Brownhill said.
When older, the young girl wants to work with young people in her home community to help “them stay off the streets and out of trouble,” Justice Brownhill said.
She was sentenced to a nine month good behaviour bond, and allowed to leave custody once sentencing concluded.
She’d spent 38 days behind bars for the robbery, the court heard.
As part of her good behaviour bond, Justice Brownhill ordered her to comply with a 7pm to 7am curfew, and also ordered her not to associate with her co-accused once she’s out.
Justice Brownhill told the court “there is no distinction between the roles of the three offenders in the offending, so I proceed on the basis that their participation is equal.”
No mention was made of either pleas or sentencing for the co-accused – the two girls aged 15 and 19 – when the 14-year-old was sentenced.
More Coverage
Originally published as Girl, 14, sentenced for robbing 101-year-old man on mobility scooter on Mitchell St in March
