Gracemere McDonalds, CQU Rockhampton campus damaged youth crime spree

The child and his co-offenders were spotted chroming outside McDonald’s before being taken away by police, only to return twice more that night to cause mayhem and lots of damage.

A teenager went on a crime spree, stealing items and causing damage to various businesses and educational institutions including McDonalds Gracemere, the Mobil service station at Gracemere on Lawrie Street and St Paul’s Catholic Primary School on Breakspear Street in Gracemere.

A juvenile who went on a crime spree and did thousands of dollars of damage to CQUniversity and McDonald’s property was drunk or high from chroming and in company of others.

The then 13-year-old had been living between two homes of separated parents at the time of the offending, most of which took place during the Christmas vacation period, Rockhampton Childrens Court heard last week.

Police prosecutor Clancy Fox said the teen was captured on CCTV with two others breaking into a building at CQUni Rockhampton on New Year’s Eve and causing damage to cupboards, projectors, a section of the ceiling, cabinet and computer equipment.

There was no figure available about the total cost of the damage.

The teen was involved in a group alcohol heist at BWS Gracemere where the defendant was the lookout while his co-offenders stole a carton of Great Northern alcohol ginger beer worth $104.

He stole four cans of Red Bull from the Gracemere Mobil service station two days later and returned twice more to steal other items.

The Mobil service station in Gracemere on Lawrie Street.

The teen was also busted carrying a Stanley knife and another knife in public.

Mr Fox said the defendant was seen chroming deodorant outside McDonald’s at Gracemere about 9pm that same day after being released on bail, in company with three others.

He said the group were behaving in a disorderly manner.

Mr Fox said the group were taken home by police only to return later armed with knives, with unconfirmed reports they may have been threatening people.

The McDonalds restaurant in Gracemere.

Then, about 4am, the group were at the McDonald’s store for the third time that night when they armed with metal poles.

“They kicked over chairs in the outdoor eating area causing damage to them,” Mr Fox said.

He said they spat at the windows of the restaurant, damaging a glass door by cracking the bottom panel, damaged a speaker and a plastic looking glass on the children’s play equipment.

Mr Fox said the group used metal poles to smash the side mirror and headlights of a Holden Commodore parked in the McDonald’s carpark that night.

On another day, the defendant attended St Paul’s Catholic Primary School on Breakspear St in Gracemere with a co-offender and they set off fire-extinguishers inside the school, captured on CCTV.

St Paul’s Catholic Primary School on Breakspear Street in Gracemere

Two months later, while waiting outside Rockhampton Childrens Court, the defendant spotted another child he didn’t like, called out to them and entered into a verbal altercation.

Mr Fox said the other child walked away but the defendant chased after them, attempting to engage them in a physical fight.

“Court security attempted to restrain the defendant,” he said.

“He began resisting.

“The defendant was pulled to the ground by security and restrained until police arrived and placed him under arrest.”

The child also repeatedly breached his bail conditions, mainly his curfew.

Defence lawyer Pierre Lammersdorf said his client, now 14, had a disruptive living arrangement at the time and now lived with his mother.

He said the defendant was undertaking flexi learning three to five days a week and trying other activities outside school such as sailing and music and visiting the caves.

Mr Lammersdorf said his client had an interest in building things.

He said his client’s engagement with youth justice had been high – only non-compliant six times out of 82.

Mr Lammersdorf said there had been no more offending for many months.

He said his client advised he had reflected on his behaviour and had listened to his mother’s advise and is no longer hanging around with the individuals he offended with.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said it was good the teen was interested in a lot of things because boredom, particularly for children not attending school, is usually what many juvenile offenders say leads them to carrying out criminal activity.

She said going into businesses and educational institutions and causing significant damage or stealing items just for “a few minutes entertainment” causes other people weeks, months, years of having to make up the loss of money in income or budgets.

The defendant pleaded guilty to 21 charges including 10 counts of breaching bail, entering premises, multiple counts of stealing and wilful damage along with public nuisance and possession of a knife in a public place.

Ms Beckinsale ordered he be reprimanded for the bail breaches and sentenced to a Restorative Justice Order for the other 11 offences.

No convictions were recorded.