Teenage boys plead guilty to knifepoint robbery at Noosa Civic
Two teenage boys, one on a conditional release order, have been sentenced for a knifepoint robbery at a Noosa shopping centre where the victim was forced to handover his clothes and jewellery.
Police & Courts
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A teenager has been released from detention into rehab for a disturbing knifepoint robbery at a Noosa shopping centre where the victim was forced to hand over his clothes, jewellery and other property.
The 16-year-old offender had a “substantial” criminal history when he committed a flurry of crimes throughout 2023 on the Sunshine Coast, including robberies at Noosa Civic and Hungry Jacks at Maroochydore.
In a published decision released this month, Judge Glen Cash went through the boy’s spree after the teen pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Children's Court in early May to armed robbery in company, robbery, supplying cannabis, stealing, and two counts of demanding property with menace.
Court documents state the spree kicked off in July 2023 when the boy borrowed a phone from another person to make a call and never returned to it.
Judge Glen Cash said the next offences occurred in August, 2023 where the 16-year-old menaced the previous victim for money until they coughed up $1000.
A particularly disturbing crime was a violent robbery in September, 2023 where the teen, a 15-year-old boy and a group of other youths chased a 17-year-old into a store at Noosa Civic and threatened him with a knife.
The documents state the victim gave up his neck and wrist chain, jumper, shoes, phone and backpack to the group.
The 15-year-old boy was jointly charged and pleaded guilty to armed robbery in company in Maroochydore Children's Court in April and was sentenced to 18 months' probation with no conviction recorded.
Judge Cash stated in his decision that two months later in November, the 16-year-old robbed another teenager at Hungry Jacks at Maroochydore by stealing his bag.
The teenager then advertised the bag on Instagram along with a small amount of marijuana.
Several days later the 16-year-old returned to his first victim and demanded more money, which led to them sending the teenager $300.
The decision states the 16-year-old boy had a concerning and substantial criminal history and was on a conditional release order given to him in the Children's Court on November 8, 2023.
Judge Cash said the boy’s family background was “unfortunate”, where his father used ice and exposed it to the 16-year-old growing up, which led to the boy abusing the insidious drug himself.
The boy spent 224 days on remand in detention which Judge Cash said allowed the youth to detox from drugs and realise his substance abuse issue.
The court was told the 16-year-old referred himself to rehabilitation where there were plans for him to take part in a 12-week residential rehab program.
Judge Cash said because of this, he felt it was appropriate to release him from detention into a two-year probation order so the boy could attend the program, which would allow him to “make something useful” out of his life and to transition into adulthood.
No convictions were recorded.
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