Burnett’s young offenders named and their crimes detailed
Some of the region’s youngest offenders are responsible for some of the most shocking crimes reported in recent months. See the full list of youthful offenders and the crimes they’ve committed.
Police & Courts
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From violent stabbings and knifepoint robberies, to terrifying stalking and bizarre newsagency brawls, many of the Burnett’s most shocking crimes have been committed by our youngest citizens.
Youth crime has become a hotly debated topic across the state, and the Burnett is no exception.
Recent crisis talks between the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council and Queensland Police highlighted the ongoing issues experienced in the small town, which are mirrored across the wider region
Residents have reported to councillors they “don’t feel safe in their homes” and the legal system is “too soft on offenders”.
Here is a list of some of the most shocking crimes committed by young offenders under 25 years old.
Son’s violent attack on father at reunion
A father and son reunion ended in horror, with a young South Burnett man brutalising his dad in a “prolonged and violent” assault that left the other man with significant injuries.
Jundamarra David Wirepa, 24, faced Kingaroy District Court over the horrific attack, where bit his dad’s finger, punched him multiple times and ultimately left him lying unconscious while beginning to clean up the mess caused during the struggle.
The court heard the older man was bashed unconscious two times during the ordeal, once with an ashtray and another time with the leg of a chair.
Wirepa pleaded guilty to one count each of grievous bodily harm and assault.
He was sentenced to three years’ jail, with a parole date set for September 3, 2021.
Teen jailed for knifepoint robbery at Kingaroy aged care facility
An elderly woman was left trembling with fear when two teenagers kicked open her front door and robbed her at knifepoint, saying they’d return to kill her if she told anyone what happened.
Byron Damm, 19, along with a juvenile co-offender, broke into the elderly woman’s home at Orana aged care facility in Kingaroy on February 8.
The court heard Damm’s co-offender kicked open the door and demanded the terrified 79-year-old woman hand over her car keys.
Crown prosecutor James Bishop said the teens were each armed with serrated knives when they told her they would return if she sought help.
When police arrived at the elderly woman’s home they found her “sobbing” and “shaking uncontrollably”, Mr Bishop said.
Damm pleaded guilty in Kingaroy District Court to armed burglary with intent to commit indictable offence, armed robbery in company, and unlawfully using a motor vehicle.
He was sentenced to three years in jail and was released on parole after serving nine months.
Father jailed for stalking partner after horror family tragedy
A South Burnett man was jailed for threatening to “bash and kill” his ex-partner after their seven-month-old baby tragically drowned in a makeshift bath in the laundry sink.
Zephaniah Herbert Graham, 22, called the mother of their child 39 times from jail, threatening to kill her, “boot her in the head” and “break her” between January and April this year.
Crown prosecutor James Bishop told Kingaroy District Court Graham also called on relatives to harass Lavinia Alison Murray on his behalf, asking them to pass on threats to bash and kill her.
Appearing in court via videolink from jail, Graham pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice and stalking.
He was sentenced to 18 months in jail and placed on two years’ probation.
High school student’s horror stabbing attack
An 18-year-old high school student has narrowly avoided spending time in a jail cell after stabbing another girl at the Kingaroy skatepark.
Bundaberg High School student Poppy Allen faced Kingaroy District Court for sentencing over the terrifying incident that left her victim needing stitches and suffering ongoing nightmares.
The court heard there was “animosity” between the pair before the brutal attack.
On December 28, 2020, the pair came to blows in the Kingaroy McDonald’s and Allen told the victim “I’m going to stab you”.
The altercation then moved to the Kingaroy skatepark, where Allen put her hand in her shorts, waited for a period of time and then ran at the victim and stabbed her in the chest with a knife before fleeing.
Allen was sentenced to 18 months’ jail on a charge of wounding, which was wholly suspended for three years.
Chroming teen’s bizarre mugging of two boys
An itinerant Cherbourg teen was sentenced for the “disgraceful’’ mugging of two 15-year-old boys at a Redlands shopping centre while high from chroming.
Richard James Daniel Blair, 19, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Monday to two counts of robbery, both in company and one using personal violence.
The court heard both offences occurred at Capalaba Central Shopping Centre on July 25 last year about 3pm.
Blair was in a group of 10–15 youths when he, a juvenile co-offender and a third person approached the two 15-year-old friends.
The first boy was forced to the ground by Blair’s co-accused and another person and robbed of his shoes.
Blair grabbed the other boy, who was trying to help his friend, before also stealing that boy’s shoes.
He was sentenced to the 138 days he was remanded in pre-sentence custody, and two years’ probation.
Woman narrowly avoids jail time after kicking victim in face
Jenai Purcell avoided time behind bars after kicking a woman in the face while she was down.
Murgon Magistrates Court heard a 43-year-old woman was bumped to the ground by an unknown person after a fight broke out in Cherbourg, at which Purcell was also present.
19-year-old Purcell approached the woman lying on the ground and kicked her in the face, leaving her victim with minor swelling and a cut lip.
Magistrate Andrew Sinclair activated Purcell’s existing suspended sentence of six months, adding another six months for the assault.
“Striking other people in unexpected ways is notoriously dangerous. It was a matter of good fortune the injuries were minor,” he said.
Purcell pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm and wilful damage.
Bizarre public brawl almost lands teen in jail
A repeat offender narrowly avoided jail for a public brawl in a Kingaroy shop and vandalising property at a medical centre, despite police saying he’d already had plenty of chances to straighten up.
Visitors to Kingaroy Shoppingworld were left stunned when a brawl broke out between Zechariah Kember and another man at the newsagency last December.
Later that month the 19-year-old was charged again when he stopped by the South Burnett Medical Centre and began punching the fence, causing hundreds of dollars worth of damage to the panels.
Kember pleaded guilty to public nuisance and wilful damage.
He was fined $500 and ordered to pay $250 in compensation for the fence.
NO CONVICTIONS RECORDED
‘Scared to go outside’: Kingaroy pair savagely attacked in public park
A judge told a Kingaroy teenager she was lucky a violent assault on another young woman didn’t result in a murder conviction.
Iutin Tetabo, 18, was with three friends at Memorial Park on the night of January 25 when they came across a man and woman they’d had previous conflict with.
An argument soon broke out between the two groups, which escalated until Tetabo dragged the woman to the ground by her hair before punching her and kicking her in the head.
The court was told the victim was left with bruising and swelling to the head on the night, and continued to suffer emotional trauma.
Tetabo was placed on probation for two years after pleading assault occasioning bodily harm. No conviction was recorded.
Horror as 12yo girl’s ride harness releases mid-air
The operator of a “mega drop” ride a 12-year-old girl fell from when her harness released mid-ride at the Kilcoy Show has been fined $50000.
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