18-year-old pleads guilty in Chinchilla Magistrates Court to breaching his bail conditions

A Chinchilla teenager has fronted court after police were tipped off that he was spotted breaking his bail conditions to celebrate his 18th birthday. Here’s what was revealed in court.

A juvenile offender has faced court after he was spotted breaking his curfew to celebrate his 18th birthday.

The defendant pleaded guilty in Chinchilla Magistrates Court to the breach of a bail condition.

Police prosecutor Chris Hutchins said he has been on bail since July 2022 and must be at his bail address between 8pm - 6am.

However, on August 12 the defendant defied the bail order to celebrate his milestone birthday at a popular local pub.

“He went to The Club Hotel at 10pm and stayed for one and half hours before returning to the bail address,” Mr Hutchins said.

“Sometime after the 12th August, police received information that he had breached his curfew.

“He had been away training, came home and then decided to go out to celebrate his 18th birthday.”

Magistrate Kyna Morice said while going to the pub to celebrate his 18th birthday in itself wasn’t a serious offence, defying the court is.

“You may not think it’s a particularly serious offence that you’re here for today, but the seriousness of it is the fact it’s a court order and you knowingly and willingly breached that court order,” she said.

“I understand that you just turned 18 and you had been away, and it was perhaps just a foolish decision that you made to stay out on that occasion.”

Magistrate Morice put the teenager on a four month good behaviour bond and told him that if he commits any crime within that time he will be ordered to pay $250 and be resentenced for the offence.