Boy, 11, sentenced over series of ‘brazen and opportunistic’ crimes against innocent young victims across Brisbane

An 11-year-old boy addicted to chroming has been sentenced after being allowed to “run rampant”, committing a series of “brazen and opportunistic” crimes against innocent young victims across Brisbane.

On December 21, the boy and his friend ambushed a 13-year-old child on a train from Sandgate. Photo: Brett Wortman

An 11-year-old boy addicted to chroming was allowed to “run rampant”, committing a series of “brazen and opportunistic” crimes against innocent young victims across Brisbane.

The child and his friends targeted random victims, including other children at a movie theatre, a boy on a train and young woman riding a scooter, physically attacking the complainants and attempting to steal property.

The child, now aged 12 and living in state care, was sentenced in the Children’s Court of Queensland on Thursday for the offending committed from December 2022 to March this year.

On December 21, the boy and his friend ambushed a 13-year-old child on a train from Sandgate, beating him with deodorant cans and chasing him through the carriage in an attempt to steal his phone and backpack.

Later that day, the 11-year-old was part of a group that confronted a young woman and bashed her before making off with her scooter.

In March, he was also involved in an attack on a 20-year-old woman as she walked to her car after work. The woman was punched in the face and pushed as the children attempted to steal her car.

Two days later, the boy confronted two children aged 12 and 13 in a movie theatre, swearing at them, threatening to bash them if they did not hand over their phones and money and shattering the screen of one victim’s phone when he didn’t comply.

“It is very serious considering that he is a young child and the extent of this crime spree as well as the consideration of entries on his history,” the prosecutor said.

“It is brazen and opportunistic violence in company brandishing whatever they had and targeting innocent young people including young victims just going about their business.”

The court heard the boy had a criminal history which included an incident in which he and a group stole a handbag from an elderly woman using a walker as well as two attacks on people at bus stops, including a 12-year-old child who was punched.

He spent 138 days in custody across two stints from January to February and March to June this year.

Defence barrister Jann Taylor said the boy was chroming for much of the offending period and could not remember a number of the incidents.

She said he expressed shock and remorse that he had attacked a girl and that he had “real regret for conducting himself in that way”.

“He has been through phases where he chromes quite heavily and can’t remember what he’s done,” she said.

“He feels shame when it comes to being confronted with what he’s done.”

Ms Taylor said the child, who has previously been exposed to domestic violence and instability, was now living in residential care without any of his siblings.

The court heard youth justice partners reported a “big change” in his behaviour and he was attending school and complying with bail requirements.

Judge Vicki Loury sentence the boy to 12 months’ probation.

“No doubt all of these young people were frightened and might have had impacts upon them that continue,” she said of the complainants.

“What I intend to do, because you’ve spent a lot of time in the detention centre and that’s really the punishment, I’m going to release on probation and that’s to help you.

“ … you’re not a bad person, you just did some bad things and youth justice will help you to not do more bad things and become a good man who contributes positively to our community.”

No convictions were recorded.