Police release 12-year-old joy-rider caught in stolen car which ploughed into ute on Gold Coast
A 12-year-old joy rider was released without charge after being caught in a stolen car that ploughed into a ute on the Gold Coast last weekend. Less than 48 hours later, police caught him in another stolen vehicle.
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A 12-year-old joy rider was released without charge after being caught in a stolen car that ploughed into a ute on the Gold Coast last weekend.
Less than 48 hours later, police nabbed him again in another stolen vehicle.
The boy was released in line with legislation, but frustrated rank-and-file officers are calling it the “smile and wave policy” and say it’s only a matter of time before another person is killed by a child in a stolen car.
The Gold Coast boy, who had a limited criminal history, was allegedly a passenger in the stolen vehicle when it smashed into a ute at Burleigh Heads about 11pm on Friday, April 16.
Police say he and four other male youths fled but were found by officers soon after.
Detectives charged two older boys, but the 12-year-old boy was taken home, police said.
The Bulletin can reveal the boy was allegedly joy-riding in a stolen vehicle by Sunday afternoon, but it legally prevented from revealing his identity.
“Officers arrested the boy after he allegedly fled from another stolen vehicle at Biggera Waters around 5.30pm on Sunday, April 18,” a Queensland Police Service spokesman said.
The car had been spotted by the police helicopter, Polair, during routine patrols in Labrador.
Police defended the decision not to charge the boy on Friday night.
“Having regards to the full circumstances as they existed on Friday night, such as the boy not being the principle offender, in accordance with Queensland Police standard practices and the provisions of the Youth Justice Act, the 12-year-old boy was taken home and not charged at that time,” a QPS spokesman said.
It’s understood detectives would be reluctant to speak to a child of that age at that time of night, and under legislation police must consider alternatives to charging a child.
Detectives have since charged the boy with two counts in total of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
He was expected to appear in Southport Children’s Court this week.
Police sources told the Bulletin youth crime was out of control.
“It’s only a matter of time before we have a fatal crash (on the Gold Coast),” a source told the Bulletin. “Rank-and-file officers call it the smile and wave policy.”
Three people, Kate Leadbetter, Matthew Field and Jennifer Board, died in car crashes this year linked to youths and allegedly stolen vehicles.
The government announced a raft of new measures aimed at targeting recidivist young offenders in the wake of the deaths and subsequent public outcry.
The new legislation passed parliament on Thursday night.
YOUNG OFFENDERS ON THE RISE
THE number of child offenders breaking into homes, stealing cars and joy-riding on the Gold Coast and Logan has risen by more than 500 in just 12 months, new police figures reveal.
A total 4261 child offenders aged between 10 and 17 years old were charged for property offences between 2019-20, compared to 3684 the previous year.
The number of youths charged with assaults, robberies and sexual offences also rose from 804 in 2018-2019 to 821 in 2019-2020.
The figures, released in the Queensland Treasury’s annual Crime Report, follow new laws given the green light by parliament to tackle an ongoing youth justice crisis.
Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the number of youth offenders was trending down despite a two per cent increase in overall reported offences.
The number of unique child offenders (10-17 years) statewide decreased from 11,965 to 11,233 between 2018-19 and 2019-20.
“The proportion of offenders aged under 25 years was the lowest in ten years, down from 49.3 per cent of all offenders (in) 2010-11 to 37.5 per cent in 2019-20,” Mr Gollschewski said.
“Additionally, we have seen a 4.5 per cent decrease in the number of unique offenders compared to the previous year, which is also at its lowest number in 10 years.”
New laws passed last Thursday night attempt to minimise knife crime in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach safe-night precincts and protect road users from hoons.
The number of unlawful use of a motor vehicle offences has risen from 2303 in 2018-29 to 2490 in 2019-20. In 2010-11 the number was just 1868.
Police Minister Mark Ryan said: “The starting point is always that any amount of crime is unacceptable.
“Even if the number of offenders is declining, there are still people who are victims of crime.
“By using the information in this report, police will be better equipped to respond in the best possible way to community needs.”
Overall other offences on the Gold Coast have decreased compared to 2018-19.
There were 1014 fewer property offences (34,776 compared to 35,790), including arson, theft and breaking and entering.
JACK BEASLEY’S FATHER SPEAKS OUT
THE father of slain teen Jack Beasley said the use of metal detectors could not come soon enough.
Laws enabling police to search people at random with a metal-detecting wand in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach safe-night precincts were on Thursday night passed in Parliament.
The laws will be used in a 12-month trial aimed at detecting knives in the party precincts following a spate of deaths linked to stabbings, including Jack Beasley, 17, on December 13, 2019.
It’s expected the measures will become law by Thursday.
Gold Coast Superintendent Rhys Wildman said the district had received additional “wanding” devices.
He said he hoped the trial would be successful.
“Police have received training on using the wands and further training will be rolled out to officers in the coming days and weeks,” he said.
It’s understood police are ready to roll out the random searches as soon as it becomes law.
Brett Beasley – creator of the Jack Beasley Foundation which has the motto “detect knives, save lives” – was pleased to see the laws pass.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” Mr Beasley said. “We have to take small steps with it. I do believe that it needs to go into further areas, (such as) Helensvale train station.
“We’ve got to stop this happening – detect knives, save lives.
“I’d like to see it rolled out straight away, instantly. Let’s get it happening. The longer we leave it, the more people can die.”
Harrison Geppert, 17, (September 2019), Nicholas Braid, 35, (April 2020), Cian English, 19, (May 2020) and Raymond Harris, 27, (September 2020) and Jack Beasley all died in incidents involving knives.
The Bulletin on Monday revealed the shocking figures revealing the number of youths caught carrying knives, including one boy who was under 10.
Of the 4323 people found with knives in a public place, 241 were aged 10-14.
EARLIER:
A GOLD Coast MP has promised slain teen Jack Beasley’s death “will not be in vain” as new laws tackling the ongoing youth justice crisis were given the green light by Parliament.
The 17-year-old died outside a Surfers Paradise supermarket in December 2019. Five teens are scheduled to stand trial for murder. All five were aged between 15 and 18 at the time of his death.
In an emotional speech to Parliament, Bonney MP Sam O’Connor called for an end to the “toxic and pervasive knife culture” among young people.
“(Jack’s mother) Belinda Beasley spoke so bravely at the Gold Coast public hearing,” he said. “Standing up in front of a parliamentary committee to talk about the trauma you have gone through is hard enough, but by some heartbreaking coincidence the hearing was held barely 100 metres from where Jack was allegedly murdered.
“To tell her story his mother had to walk past the place where her son lost his life.”
Mr O’Connor then became choked up as he recounted parts of Ms Beasley’s speech, describing the moment she learned of Jack’s death.
He said: “Tonight I reaffirm my commitment that Jack’s death will not be in vain. His name will mean something and it will lead to change. We could have the toughest laws in the world but they mean nothing if we do not fix the toxic and pervasive knife culture that exists among some young people.
“I understand there are some who have been uncomfortable with the wands (but) ultimately if you are not carrying anything illegal on our streets then you should have no cause for concern.
“There is no reason to take a hunting knife into the middle of Surfers Paradise.”
Outside Parliament he said: “I’ve been dealing with (the Beasley family) for a year and a bit now and it just meant a lot.
“It’s the first step for them and what the Jack Beasley Foundation is trying to do.”
The new laws, voted in on Thursday night, attempt to minimise knife crime in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach safe-night precincts and protect road users from hoons.
Measures include “hand-held scanners” in the CBDs to find hidden knives and tracking devices on young offenders let out on bail.
But the measures have been met with some disdain by some Gold Coast MPs.
Theodore MP Mark Boothman said they were a Band-Aid “on a festering wound”.
“This issue has been going on for many years. This problem has not gone away, and it’s not gotten any better.
“Assaults on the Gold Coast have doubled since 2016. This, in a tourism capital, (shows) we need more police resources.
“One gentleman (in my area) is terrified he’s going to get a car through his front windows, because there is a large amount of hooning on his street.
“He rings the police regularly and is told there are no units available. We need more officers on the Gold Coast.”
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