Teen robber fights to change from life of crime and drugs

A teenage boy who threatened to “gutter stomp” one child’s teeth, grew up in home where crime and drug use were “normal”.

Man desperate and alone in the dark drugs Townsville crime generic

A teenage boy placed on probation after spending eight months in detention for “standing over boys and a girl to get things” and threatening to “gutter stomp” one child’s teeth grew up in home where crime and drug use were “normal”.

The boy, who by law cannot be named, had been sentenced in the Rockhampton District Court four times before this including for two robberies when he was 15.

Crown prosecutor Luke Smoothy told the court this week the teen, in his latest offending, approached a boy and his friends in March 2022, spoke with them for awhile before the boy was alone, and then took the boy’s phone.

He said the defendant told the boy “thanks, it’s my phone now” before demanding he change the password or he would “gutter stomp his teeth” or bash his head in.

The defendant later met up with a group of girls and took one of their phones, demanding she give him the passcode.

She repeatedly asked the defendant to give her phone back and he finally did when she wouldn’t give him the passcode.

The defendant went on to rob a boy of his scooter in July 2022, with threats of violence, which led to the victim’s father searching for the defendant while driving around Rockhampton.

When the father found the defendant, he pulled up next to him and his brother.

The defendant’s brother kicked the car and dented it.

Judge Jeff Clarke said the defendant’s displayed “quite gutless behaviour”, “standing over boys and a girl to get things” and he wasn’t surprised by comments the victims thought the defendant was an adult due to his size and stature.

“This isn’t the way to live life,” he told the teenager.

Judge Clarke said the teenager had issues with grief and anger after his mother’s death and father’s abandonment.

“You were raised in an environment where most of your family members were involved in criminal activity which didn’t set a good example for you,” he said.

Judge Clarke said the defendant was exposed to drug taking which was normalised in his family and social circles.

Mr Smoothy said the presentence report showed the defendant had performed “very well” on a conditional bail program and he behaved so well during the eight month detention period, he achieved the gold status.

He said the report also indicated he was beginning to develop empathy and awareness of how his actions could hurt people.

Judge Clarke placed the teen on a six month probation order.