Toowoomba boy labelled serious repeat offender and jailed for two years for armed robberies

The sad facts of a boy raised by violent parents who injected drugs in front of him led a judge to conclude he has little to no chance of rehabilitation after he robbed two people while high on ice.

The harrowing life of an Indigenous boy born into a home scarred with violence, drug abuse and neglect was laid bare in the Childrens Court of Queensland when it ruled that the best place for the 17-year-old was jail.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to six offences including two counts of robbery.

They relate to the theft of a Mercedes Benz from a Toowoomba home on October 7, 2022 where the boy entered a woman’s home while armed with a knife and threatened her.

The court heard the 36-year-old woman asked the boy to leave as she had two young children with her.

“Give me your key mother******,” was his response.

The boy grabbed the keys and fled in the Mercedes, which had a GPS tracking device attached.

Undercover police, assisted by Polair, tracked the vehicle to Smith Lane and while it was recovered, the boy escaped.

The second robbery related to the theft of a Volkswagen Passat from a Mt Lofty home on October 16, 2022 where the boy entered the property via an unlocked door and stole a handbag containing keys.

Undercover police, assisted by Polair, tracked the vehicle to Smith Lane and while it was recovered, the boy escaped.

He was confronted by the occupant but was able to flee with the car when a co-offender struck her in the back of the head with an object.

Police identified the child and arrested him at his Southwest Queensland home on October 22, 2022.

The court heard the offences were committed while he was subject to a community-based order for robbing a 74-year-old woman.

A pre-sentence report led Judge Paul Smith to conclude the boy had very low prospects of rehabilitation.

The court heard the boy had very limited contact with his father who was in and out of jail, while his mother and other family members were frequent intravenous drug users that exposed the boy to physical abuse from a young age.

The Chronicle has led a major campaign on youth crime issues.

The report added that he was subject to multiple Child Safety protection orders but would only return home after a period of offending or when he was withdrawing from methylamphetamine.

The court heard the boy had completely disengaged from school, had a learning disability and valued the relationships he had with his peers above his family.

WAKING AT 10, SMOKING CANNABIS AND ICE UNTIL 5AM

He told the report’s author that his lifestyle consisted of waking at 10am and smoking cannabis and ice until 5am the next day.

“He and his peers would discuss ‘creeping’ around different areas … looking to obtain valuable items, money and cars,” the report said.

“He would join in without hesitation.

“He failed to express remorse towards the victims for the harm that was caused by saying, ‘I don’t feel anything.’”

Judge Smith made a declaration identifying the child as a serious repeat offender who had a high probability of committing offences that carried a maximum penalty of life in jail, such as armed robbery and assault.

The boy was jailed for two years.

“I consider there is a strong need to protect members of the community,” Judge Smith said.

Originally published as Toowoomba boy labelled serious repeat offender and jailed for two years for armed robberies