Jack Beasley case: Teenagers accused of Surfers Paradise stabbing committed to face trial

Five teenagers accused of stabbing 17-year-old Jack Beasley to death on a busy Gold Coast street will stand trial in the coming months.

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FIVE teenagers accused of stabbing 17-year-old Jack Beasley to death on a busy Gold Coast street will stand trial in the coming months.

The group, who were aged between 15 and 18 at the time of Jack’s death, were committed to trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court after a three-day hearing in the Southport Children’s Court.

It is alleged the teens were in Surfers Paradise when they allegedly stabbed Jack outside the Surfers Paradise IGA in December 2019.

The teenagers will face trial for murder and acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm in the coming months.

The teen alleged to be the one who stabbed Jack was committed to trial on Tuesday afternoon.

It was not until late Wednesday afternoon the remaining four were ordered to also stand trial.

The Gold Coast Bulletin had applied to be granted access to view the proceedings but were denied.

Magistrate Pamela Dowse did order the media be able to access the outcome of the hearing.

The Beasley family did initially apply to attend but after Magistrate Dowse advised they were unlikely to be successful they withdrew their application.

EARLIER: FAMILY BARRED FROM COMMITTAL HEARING

THE family of a teenager allegedly stabbed to death in the heart of the Gold Coast have been barred from watching the teenagers accused of his murder face court.

The ban came the same day as the Gold Coast Bulletin was also blocked from attending the committal hearing of five teenagers accused of murdering 17-year-old Jack Beasley.

It is alleged Jack was stabbed outside the Surfers Paradise IGA on December 13, 2019.

The five teens accused of murder and acts intending to cause grievous bodily harm were aged between 15 and 18 at the time.

Jack’s father Brett Beasley said being unable to attend the court hearing in the Southport Children’s Court was “heart breaking”.

“It’s just another kick in the guts,” he said.

“It’s just not fair and it’s not fair to the victims.

“We are going to be left in the cold.”

FULL DIGITAL ACCESS: JUST $1 FOR FIRST 28 DAYS

It is not clear why the Beasley family were denied access to the court proceedings.

The committal hearing is set to finish on Wednesday afternoon – just two days from what would have been Jack’s 19th birthday.

Jack’s mother Belinda Beasley said: “It’s upsetting to us that we are not allowed in the courtroom either …

“The whole process is disappointing and we find it unfair and upsetting to us but we have to do what’s best for the trial.”

The family were on Monday morning denied access to the Southport Children’s Court just moments after Gold Coast Bulletin application to be present in court was denied.

Children’s court matters are usually heard behind closed doors but media and family members of the victim are able to apply to be present.

The media application was denied despite one of the defendants being an adult.

Media is automatically allowed access to the courtroom for adult matters.

Brett Beasley. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Magistrate Pamela Dowse said allowing media to be present would be prejudicial to the teenagers.

“There is little information that can be given at this stage,” she said.

“There are issues of admissibility (of evidence) which is very complicated and the risk of prejudice is very high.”

Magistrate Dowse said she could not be satisfied that having media present in the courtroom would not be prejudicial to the children.

She did order the media be alerted of the outcome of the committal hearing.

Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek said for the media to be denied access to such a public case it was “no wonder the people are frustrated about court processes”.

“It's like another slap in the face for the community who are watching our town deteriorate and no one is doing a thing about it,” he said.

Mr Langbroek said the juvenile matters were becoming increasingly secret in the past few years.

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