Victim of break-ins Ashleigh Lawrence speaks out about youth crime

Long-term Cairns resident Ashleigh Lawrence isn’t surprised the city she grew up in is the new “youth crime capital” of Queensland, having been broken into twice in a month this year.

Cairns lawyer Ashleigh Lawrence had her Mooroobool home broken into twice, with the young offenders stealing her car keys and thouasnds of dollars worth of jewellery. Picture: Brendan Radke

Long-term Cairns resident Ashleigh Lawrence isn’t surprised the city she grew up in is the new “youth crime capital” of Queensland, having been broken into twice in a month this year.

But she is surprised and saddened at the approach the Queensland Government is taking to curb the issue, introducing new “adult crime, adult crime” laws last month.

Ms Lawrence, a lawyer who has lived in a neighbourly five-unit complex in Mooroobool for more than two years without incident, said she believes it was teenagers who broke into her house in August, stealing jewellery and trashing her house, and possibly also the second time three weeks later when her car keys were stolen.

Bizarrely, in the first break-in, the offenders used a dragon fruit from her kitchen to smear her walls with tags and graffiti like FTP as well as taking thousands of dollars worth of jewellery. In the second break-in, Ms Lawrence was home with lights on and music playing.

New crime figures were released in December that showed the Far North region was Queensland’s worst for youth crime with 2082 break of bail offences, 1017 stolen cars and 112 robberies committed by juveniles.

Young offenders smeared graffiti on Ashleigh Lawrence’s walls with a dragon fruit and trashed her kitchen. Picture: Supplied

Ms Lawrence said that, despite the initial shock, anger and fear associated with someone entering her home, she believed in restorative justice and a focus on addressing the social issues that lead children to commit crime.

“I try to let my logic override my emotions,” said Ms Lawrence.

“Having worked in domestic and family violence settings as a lawyer, I know a lot of children who commit crimes are generally from impoverished backgrounds where there might also be domestic and family violence, substance abuse, disability and intergenerational trauma at play.”

She said she did not think locking children up was a solution.

“I’d like to think that most children aren’t evil and if you can show them how their behaviour has affected a person, and offer them the chance to do some sort of community service to give back for what they have done, that is a better approach,” Ms Lawrence said.

“I’d like to see them get support also to meet their basic needs and safety.”

No one has been arrested in relation to the break-ins at Ms Lawrence’s unit but she said, if she had the opportunity, she would explain the effect the crimes had on her.

“I lost jewellery that was both of value and sentimental, including my baby bracelet,” Ms Lawrence said.

“I now lock myself in my house with a key because it gave me a shock to think someone would break in while I was at home,” she said.

“I cycled through anger next. And it has cost me money because I installed sensor lights and had to replace my car key.”

Cairns lawyer Ashleigh Lawrence wants better support and accountability for young people engaging in crime. Picture: Brendan Radke

Ms Lawrence said she had lived in Cairns most of her life.

She said she was not the only one in her family that had been a victim of crime in 2024, with both her mother and uncle also experiencing an attempted break-in and break-in in the south of Cairns.

“The media and politicians do sensationalise ‘tough on crime’ messages like ‘adult crime for adult time’, but I think we need to stop and listen to all views, especially when organisations like the United Nations are condemning the (Queensland Government’s) approach,” Ms Lawrenc said.

Queensland’s Making Queensland Safer Bill was given effect in December, with the Crisafulli Government saying the new laws would see the amendment of the Juvenile Justice Act 1992 to enable young offenders who commit some of the most serious crimes to be given the same penalties as adults, and to remove the principle of “detention as last resort”.

Originally published as Victim of break-ins Ashleigh Lawrence speaks out about youth crime