Police fury as 12-year-old with 80 criminal charges bailed after alleged break-and-enter

Bush cops are pleading with magistrates to stop the ‘vicious circle’ as juvenile convicted car thief and burglar with a history of police pursuits is freed, skips bail, and is arrested and bailed again.

A 12-year-old repeat offender with a record of more than 80 charges is back at home after being caught breaking and entering just three days after he had been freed on bail by the NSW Supreme Court.

The convicted car thief, burglar and with a history of being involved in police pursuits in the Dubbo region in the state’s west, the juvenile delinquent was granted home detention – for a third time – after being rearrested on Sunday morning.

Local police, already battling massive crime rates in the region as well as staff shortages believe the court system has let them down.

One officer wrote to a local union boss last week expressing frustration and disbelief at the court system.

“XX is aged 12 and has an appalling criminal history, having been charged as of today 80 times.”

Police say the juvenile offender is a danger to the community.

“He was granted Supreme Court bail (last) Tuesday with relatively strict bail conditions, including a requirement to report to the police station three times a week. This condition is generally unheard of for a person of his age. He managed to report on Wednesday, failed to report Friday,’’ he wrote.

Police then rang the boys mother and said if she could bring him to the station they would warn him and not breach him.

She told them: “He’ll just go on the run then and you won’t be able to find him’ and then hung up.

Premier Chris Minns said there needs to be a “particular focus” on the 12-year-old repeat offender.

Chris Minns said he’s concerned about the 12-year-old repeat offender. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“It’s very concerning, I’m first to acknowledge that it’s tying up an enormous amount of resources and it’s not in the child’s interest either if they are constantly in a situation where they are committing breaches of the law, breaking the law, or being arrested,” he told 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Tuesday morning.

“But you know, we need to make sure that we’ve got a particular focus on this boy.”

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the boy was arrested along with three other teenagers at a property in Dubbo. He was charged with aggravated break and enter and stealing, in company, to a value less than $60,000.

Police initially refused him bail, but in his first appearance before a Children’s Court the boy was given home detention and will appear again on June 17.

“We just seem to go around in circles … we arrest young kids, they let them out … they then think ‘they won’t lock me up, I can do what I want’,” said another officer.

“And now we have the Supreme Court sending an even stronger message, that if you don't get out at a local level go to the Supreme Court.’’

‘EMBOLDENED’ BY BAIL

The frustrated officer said the repeated granting of bail only “emboldens’’ the offender and believed he will continue to steal cars and engage in car chases which he fears will end one day in the boy killing himself or a member of the public.

“Local police are losing faith in the ability of the court to make bail decisions that are congruent and in line with public expectation, leaving local officers disheartened and disillusioned,’’ the officer said.

A leading Sydney criminal lawyer said it was unusual to have a 12-year-old before the Supreme Court because the courts rarely, if ever refuse them bail.

“If you are refused bail at a local court going to the Supreme Court is your only option to appeal the decision but you hardly ever hear of it happening because the local courts grant bail to juvenile offenders at the drop of a hat,’’ the lawyer said.

This comes as crime rates in the bush continue to exceed those in the city, according to analysis from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR).

Figures released in March show the rate of property crime is 60% higher in the regions compared to Sydney, while violent crime is 57% higher, and motor vehicle theft in the bush is double the rate of Sydney.