Mackay teen pleads guilty to arson, car theft

A car thief who felt like lashing out has left a man paying off a loan when ‘he hasn’t even got a car’. Read why the teen stole and torched the man’s car.

A judge has chastised a Mackay teen who stole and set fire to a car, while the owner was left paying off the destroyed vehicle.

Childrens Court of Queensland, sitting in Mackay, heard the victim had bought the older vehicle from his sister and it was still registered in her name.

“Can you imagine what he must feel like?” Judge Richards told the 17-year-old car thief.

“He’s still got to pay the rest of the money to his sister and he hasn’t even got a car.”

The teen boy, who cannot be named under Queensland legislation, pleaded guilty to arson and unlawfully using a motor vehicle on about September 11, 2021.

When asked why he did it the boy, who will turn 18 later this year, replied, “I do not know why I did that”.

“We had the idea to go out and see a friend and the friend turned to seeing a car and stealing that car,” the boy said.

The court heard the teen had criminal history that included wilful damage and other charges pending before the courts.

He told the court issues with anger and feeling the need to “lash out” were central to his troubles with the law.

The teen said learning how to better deal with his anger had been a major focus for him in his time at Cleveland Youth Detention Centre.

The court heard he had also been learning to read and write, and he proudly revealed he has been able to read a book by himself for the first time in his life.

He was placed on an 18-month probation and restorative justice order with no convictions recorded, but Judge Richards warned if he breached the order he would likely be convicted as an adult and face harsher penalties.

He will need to report to Mackay Youth Justice within one business day of his release.