Cosgrove resident shares youth crime experience as KAP’s Nick Dametto calls for harsher youth crime sentences

A man who has endured four weeks of youth crime already has said ‘the time for bullish-t is done’ after watching a man be almost killed defending his neighbour. WATCH THE VIDEO.

A man who has endured four weeks of youth crime already has said “the time for bullish-t is done” after watching a man in his suburb be almost killed defending his neighbour.

CCTV posted on Facebook on Monday morning showed two cars driven by young offenders, with one telling his friends to run over a neighbour who confronted him.

The car then speeds towards a man who can be heard yelling, but is out of the frame.

Johnathon, a resident of Cosgrove, has had youths slash the roof of his car multiple times and had to put cameras up after multiple break and enters, is pushing for change after watching the incident unfold.

“They’ve cost $200,000 damage at least in Cosgrove in the last three to four weeks and they’ve probably put people out of pocket, people have had to go buy cameras because they’ve tried to break in,” the man said.

“I don’t condone killing anyone but give us the right to defend ourselves.

“Maybe they might think twice, they’re ruining our lives.”

The man who owns a home with his partner in the suburb expressed urgency for magistrates to put the new laws into action or allow residents to defend themselves when faced with criminals.

CCTV shows an incident between two youths and residents of a street in Cosgrove.

“The worst thing is, we can’t do anything,” he said.

“They’re not getting locked up, all we get is excuses. Let’s get answers, the time for bullis--t is done.”

Johnathan said he was devastated by the incident.

“To know that a man was trying to defend his neighbour, it’s heartbreaking,” he said.

“Knowing these two kids were willing to kill him just to steal a car, to crash into a wall or do burnouts … they will change his whole life, that man has a family. I see him walk passed all the time, he has a young family. They will bankrupt his family, put them on the street and they don’t even give a s--t because the next day they will steal someone else’s car.”

More footage captured on the street shows the kids driving back and forth down the road.

Police are investigating the incident, with a spokeswoman saying the Hodlen Commodore was stolen from Mesa Ct, Cosgrove about 5am. It was then crashed near Peak Cct after the residents confronted the group.

“The BMW 2281I was stolen from Eloise St, Mount Low between 1.30am and 5.30am this morning and was located abandoned in Hermit Park,” the spokeswoman said.

The man who has organised to speak with MP Nick Dametto said he believed the government needed to create a new facility to house those convicted or grant people the rights to defend themselves.

“I believe the police should not live in groundhog day, they should be able to lock them up,” he said.

“If they’re bringing knives into our own house we need to be able to shoot them. If it comes down to me versus them, why can’t it be easier for me if there’s four of them?”

CCTV shows an incident between two youths and residents of a street in Cosgrove.

The Hinchinbrook MP said the video was “absolutely terrifying”.

“The fact is people are getting fed up,” he said.

“They are getting fed up that the legislative changes haven’t done what they’ve meant to do. “Police are doing everything they can with the resources they have …”

He said police needed to be able to do their jobs, but crimes also needed a deterrent created by strong legislation.”

Despite new Adult Time, Adult Crime laws introduced by the LNP government in December, the Katter’s Australia Party MP says there has been “zero to little effect” on repeat youth offenders in Townsville.

He said the party was hopeful of changes to the rates of youth crime when the laws were announced, but added that crime continued due to “no deterrents ”.

Mr Dametto said during the election campaign that Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber was speaking about Regional Reset programs, which resembles KAP’s Relocation Sentencing policy.

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto in state parliament.

“We asked a Question on Notice in December last year; what is going to happen with these Regional Resets that the LNP government were talking about?” he said.

“We had an answer in January, two months ago now, saying $50m would be set aside for this type of project and that tenders would go out as soon as possible.

“That was two months ago and crime continues to rise across the city”.

Mr Dametto asked what the government was doing, as people continued to “wake up to their cars missing across the city and their homes and businesses broken into”.

“There is no deterrent for youth offenders and adult offenders when it comes to incarceration,” he said.

Nick Dametto at the Townsville Courthouse. Picture: Nikita McGuire

Mr Dametto also called on the government to fully adopt the KAP’s Castle Law policy, meaning residents would have the opportunity to defend themselves by any means necessary.

“Adopting Castle Law as a policy across Queensland would allow the state government to introduce this as legislation, so that we could try and give some of those people out there, those would-be victims, the opportunity to defend themselves and have their rights galvanised across Queensland,” he said.

“Giving people the opportunity to defend themselves should be a God-given right in this country.”

Brisbane, 18 February 2025. Queensland Minister for Youth Justice Laura Gerber during the first sitting day of parliament. Picture: Supplied

Mr Dametto said he wanted confirmation that the LNP would introduce the Regional Reset programs, attached to minimum mandatory sentencing.

“You can’t turn these kids’ lives around in three to four weeks,” he said.

In regards to the LNP’s announcement in February of an Expert Legal Panel to identify the next inclusions of offences for adult crime, adult time laws, Mr Dametto said it was concerning to see the establishment of a panel.

“This is usually a stalling tactic …” he said.

“What we need in this state, I think, is less expert panels and more leadership.”

With parliament pushed back, now planned for Wednesday, due to the ongoing effects of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred in Brisbane, Mr Dametto said he was “ready to go” once parliament resumed.

“I’ll be using my opportunity in parliament once again this week to call on the Crisafulli government to introduce Castle Law to make sure relocation sentencing or Regional Reset programs kicking off and that tender process starts as soon as possible,” he said.

“We understand that the state has been grappling with natural disasters but, natural disasters don’t affect the Youth Justice portfolio.”

Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber said the LNP government was “already on the path to fewer victims of crime” and would “continue delivering the reforms needed to restore safety to Townsville.”

“Labor’s weak crime laws and failure to deliver meaningful rehabilitation created a generation of hardcore repeat offenders who have terrorised the Townsville community,” she said.

“The Crisafulli Government is up to the challenge of cleaning up Labor’s mess and has started the tender process for our Regional Reset program which will give troubled youths the life skills, education, and support to turn towards a brighter future and away from a life of crime.”

Townsville police are investigating multiple stolen vehicles from the weekend and have charged five adults and six juveniles with 37 offences including 13 counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, four counts enter dwelling and commit, three counts of burglary, two counts each of fraud (over $30k under $100k), receiving tainted property and unlicensed driving and one count each of enter premises and commit, enter premises with intent to commit, possess dangerous drugs, possess utensils, and obstruct police.

Originally published as Cosgrove resident shares youth crime experience as KAP’s Nick Dametto calls for harsher youth crime sentences