Luc Bonnell pleads guilty to assaults on students at Chatswood, Lane Cove

A teenager who assaulted students in four attacks over a two day period on Sydney’s north shore has been sentenced after a court heard one of the incidents was carried out in full view of commuters at Chatswood Station.

One of the incidents was carried out at Chatswood Interchange.

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A north shore teenager has been sentenced over a series of series of robberies and assaults on students across Sydney’s north shore.

Luc Bonnell, 18, appeared in the NSW District Court on Thursday charged with assaulting four teenagers in separate incidents in Chatswood and Lane Cove in November last year.

The two-day spree began just after 3.25pm on November 6 when Bonnell and a co-offender, Asher Steele, approached a 14-year-old boy who was at Chatswood Interchange making his way home from school.

Bonnell was sentenced in the NSW District Court.

The court heard Bonnell pushed the boy in full view of commuters, causing him to fall backwards, while saying: “we’re going to stab you, your friends and everyone at your school”.

Bonnell and Steele, both aged 18 at the time, then fled the scene before approaching three boys in a nearby laneway where a scuffle ensued. The court heard Steele pulled out a knife from his pants and threatened the group before he and Bonnell ran from the area.

The next day, the pair “blindsided” a 17-year-old boy who was walking home from school along the Pacific Hwy in Lane Cove.

One of the incidents was in full view of commuters at Chatswood Interchange.

Steele struck the teenager in the torso as Bonnell searched his bag and told him to empty his pockets.

The court heard the assault came to an end when a motorist pulled up next to the group and threatened “to get his pit-bull on the offenders” while pointing to a large dog in the back of his car.

Bonnell and Steele then left the scene before approaching a 16-year-boy at a bus stop in Lane Cove.

The court heard Steele grabbed the teenager, put him in a headlock and demanded he hand over his wallet before a nearby homeowner intervened by threatening to call the police.

Bonnell and Steele were arrested a short time later and charged with offences including robbery in company, assault with intent to rob in company, and armed with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Bonnell pleaded guilty, telling the court he was under the influence of Xanax and alcohol at the time of the offences and could not remember the exact details of three of the assaults.

He described his actions as “really childish and inappropriate behaviour”, adding that his time in prison since November had been “sobering” and that he never wanted to return to a life of drugs or crime.

Crown prosecutors argued the consumption of drugs and alcohol did not reduce his moral culpability and that a sentence should reflect the harm caused by “using a knife to threaten school children in a public place”.

Judge Phillip Mahony said while some of the offending was perpetrated by his co-offender, Bonnell was equally responsible as it was “a joint criminal enterprise”.

In sentencing, he noted Bonnell had commenced rehabilitation programs and will have the support of family upon his release into the community.

Bonnell was sentenced to an aggregate term of four years and three months in prison.

He will be eligible for parole on November 6 this year.

Asher Steele has pleaded guilty to robbery in company, assault with intent to rob in company, possession of a knife in a public place and armed with intent to commit an indictable offence.

He is due to be sentenced on August 28.