Juvenile Yeppoon armed robbers led police of chase through Rockhampton in Alfa Romeo

Three teen boys who carried out armed robberies at Yeppoon using a hammer and a knife and led police on a chase through Rockhampton in a stolen car have been sentenced for their crimes. WATCH THE VIDEO

Three teen boys who carried out armed robberies at Yeppoon using a hammer and a knife and led police on a chase through Rockhampton in a stolen car, had all disengaged from education.

The trio, that went on a crime spree in Yeppoon, carrying out burglaries, stealing cars, attempted armed robbery, armed robbery in company and stealing items have been handed detention orders.

They were sentenced in Rockhampton District Court in November for an array of charges including driving without due care/attention and wilful damage.

Crown prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke said the most serious offending by the juveniles was a crime spree on December 1-2, 2020, at Yeppoon, which started when they entered a premises and stole alcohol bottles from the Railway Hotel.

Railway Hotel, Yeppoon.

The teens entered the James Street licensed premises via the pokie room entrance at about 10.45pm, went behind the bar and removed three bottles of spirits.

Ms O’Rourke said Adam*, 15, was the one who did the actual stealing.

When he exited, he placed one of the bottles in the garden bed under a bush.

Ms O’Rourke said Scott*, 16, entered Young’s Bus Service, damaging a door to get inside, and did not steal anything.

However, Scott did steal a laptop from the next business – The Physio Factor – and caused damage breaking in.

Tom*, 17, and Adam meanwhile committed attempted armed robberies at The Strand Hotel.

They jumped the rear fence into the beer garden where two employees spotted the teens and asked them to leave.

The court heard the teens ran away and the two employees followed with Adam passing Tom a hammer, who while armed with it demanded money from the employees’ wallets.

The employees refused to hand over their wallets.

Both of the boys attempted to take the female employee’s phone from her, with the male employee being punched by Adam two to three times in the face when the man tried to stop the teens.

The teen was disarmed and the defendant ran away.

During the night, Scott entered an unlocked house and stole a handbag, key to a car and two knives.

He stole a Blue Alfa Romeo.

Scott collected the other two boys about 2.30am and they stole fuel from a petrol station in Hidden Valley.

They then entered the Caltex on Yeppoon Road just after 3am, with Adam demanding all the money from the staff member and asked for the knife from Tom.

Tom climbed over the counter, while still holding the knife and the staff member ran while the group stole cash and cigarettes.

“They had to kick their way out of a glass door in order to escape,” Ms O’Rourke said.

She said police spotted the stolen Alfa Romeo and followed the teens.

The stolen vehicle was spotted about 5.10am on Canning Street, West Rockhampton, and after the vehicle failed to stop, it mounted a medium strip causing two of its tyres to blow out.

The car was then driven down a dead-end street in Park Avenue.

Ms O’Rourke said the teens got out and fled on foot but were all arrested in different locations.

The teens were sentenced for other crimes, not all committed together, including stealing money from a laundry, and food and drinks at Coles North Rockhampton.

Adam stole a bike from Coles Express and tried to steal a handbag from an elderly woman at Stockland Rockhampton.

He also entered a shed in a backyard and stole a BMX bike, riding an unregistered motorcycle without a licence on the wrong side of the road and had marijuana in his possession.

While on bail, Adam stole a scooter from the owner who was riding it at the time.

Several months later, he broke into a Berserker home with others and stole a motorbike.

As they were walking it down the street, the owner returned home and the group dropped the bike and ran.

Ms O’Rourke said Adam was subject to various bail orders throughout the offending period.

Scott and another juvenile, after Scott was released from detention, had possession of 1.273kg of marijuana.

The other juvenile was placed on nine months probation when they were dealt with by the court for the possession.

Scott, in April and May 2021, stole lighters after breaking into a Dollars and Sense store and stole cutters and tape from the Yeppoon Library after breaking in.

After being arrested for those offences, Scott drew words in blood on his cell walls, stole property from a Yeppoon residence, including a set of keys for a Jeep Wrangler which he drove for 20 metres before abandoning.

After he was arrested and was being escorted to the detention centre, he tried to flee from police.

Ms O’Rourke said Tom had disengaged from school, which was influenced by peers.

“He now seems to be a leader among that group,” she said.

Tom was also oppositional towards his mother, used marijuana, binge drank and had limited capacity to empathise with his victims.

Ms O’Rourke said Tom told presentence report writers that “business owners have plenty” when asked about financial impact.

“He has had benefit of numerous orders in the past; none of which have deterred him,” she said.

Ms O’Rourke said Tom had been dealt with by the court earlier in 2021 for robbery.

Defence barrister for Tom, Ross Lo Monaco, said his client started offending when he was 13.

“I’m told he is keen to get into the workforce,” he said.

Mr Lo Monaco said Tom had done further schooling while in detention and hoped to get a landscaping job.

A Youth Justice spokesman told the court Tom was willing to do the Transition to Success course which starts in March 2022.

Meanwhile, Ms O’Rourke said Adam lacked supervision, used alcohol and marijuana, and the alcohol in particular seemed to contribute to his offending.

Ms O’Rourke said Adam’s report showed he had poor decision making skills and acted impulsively, consistent with his diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Defence barrister Sheridan Shaw said while his mother was in court to support Adam, he would be sent to live with his father, who was stricter, upon his release from custody.

She said her client’s father might be able to get her client work and he had engaged with Darumbal Alternative Education services sporadically with plans to re-engage upon release from detention.

Ms Shaw said Adam’s life destabilised when his parents separated in 2018 and Adam was homeless at one point.

Ms O’Rourke said Adam also didn’t display much insight or remorse for his offending, shifting responsibility and blaming his intoxication level.

She said he had the shortest criminal record of the trio and had not been on a probation order previously.

Ms O’Rourke said Scott ignored his parents’ rules, misused substances and marijuana, and associated with a negative peer group.

However, she said he had shown insight and remorse for his offending.

Scott’s defence barrister Maree Wiley said her client, who was on probation at the time of the offending, had been productive while in detention, completing courses and even winning a Student of the Week award.

Ms Wiley said her client’s problem was his association with negative peers, who he wanted to stay away from in future.

Tom was sentenced to 10 months detention, to serve 70 per cent, with no convictions recorded and probation for 12 months.

Adam was sentenced to 68 days detention, with 68 days declared as time served, no convictions recorded and 12 months probation.

Scott was sentenced to 252 days detention to serve 70 per cent, no convictions recorded and 12 months probation.

* Names of the juveniles have been changed as they not be identified for legal reasons.