Qld youth crime: Boy, 15, roams free after 80 charges, as kid perps game the system

A dangerous teenage car thief and burglar engaged in a Brisbane crime spree has never had a single conviction recorded. SPECIAL REPORT

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A dangerous teenage car thief and burglar engaged in a Brisbane crime spree has never had a single conviction recorded even after more than 80 charges – with police warning the youth and his associates show “no signs of stopping”.

Police have told The Courier-Mail there is a growing frustration with how young criminals are “gaming the system” by pleading guilty to offences to avoid having convictions recorded.

EDITORIAL: We need a whole new approach to youth crime

A bombshell intelligence brief seen by The Courier-Mail regarding a 15-year-old Brisbane boy has laid bare the extent of Queensland’s youth crime crisis, with police declaring the teen criminal “will continue to offend”.

“(The offender) is currently engaged in a crime spree of burglaries and UUMVAs (car thefts) spanning the entire southeast regions, and along with his associates, is showing no signs of stopping,” it reads.

A 15-year-old Brisbane boy who has not had a single conviction recorded even after appearing on over 80 charges.

“It has become clear (the offender) and his cohort will not stop for intercepts, committing numerous offences in stolen vehicles, including dangerous driving, departmentals (crashes involving police cars), and hit-and-run crashes. Along with his co-offenders, he will continue to evade police in stolen vehicles, and show high disregard for safety.”

The damning brief also says the stolen vehicles have been involved in 14 reported instances of evading police.

The briefing goes on to say the teen – who reportedly targets the northern suburbs of Brisbane and has also been “extremely active throughout the southeast” – steals vehicles from properties where the doors are unlocked and keys easily accessible, as well as taking possessions like wallets and handbags.

Emma Lovell died after confronting two intruders who had broken into her North Lakes home. Picture: Supplied

The intelligence showing the extent of the history of some young offenders walking the street comes just weeks after the horrific alleged murder of mother Emma Lovell, who was killed by two young offenders attempting to burgle her home.

In the wake of Ms Lovell’s death, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a raft of youth justice changes including increasing the maximum sentence for car thieves to 14 years, and increased penalties for criminals who boast about their crimes on social media.

But leading criminologist and former Detective Inspector Terry Goldsworthy said the changes were “smoke and mirrors”, and the information contained in the brief “showed a failing of the system”.

Matthew Field and Kate Leadbetter died when they were struck by a stolen car driven by a drug and alcohol-affected teenager while walking their dog on Australia Day in 2021. Photo Supplied

“This offender is a prime example of someone who should not be getting bail, and who should be incarcerated,” he said.

“They (the government) have been asleep at the wheel.

“Increasing maximum sentences sound good, but they will have very little impact. What the government should have considered was increasing the minimum terms, and changes to bail. The issue around (introducing) breach of bail is a no-brainer to me.”

Flowers at the scene of the accident that killed Matthew Field and Kate Leadbetter. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Opposition leader David Crisafulli called on the Premier to cancel her current holiday, and recall parliament early to address the youth crime crisis.

“The state government consistently says less repeat offenders are being let out,” he said. “How much more repeat does it get than refusing to stop for police over a dozen times and being charged on over 80 occasions without a single consequence for these actions?” We simply can’t wait for parliament to resume at the end of February before we deal with this.

“Parliament must be recalled and change needs to be made to put the rights of the victim ahead of the rights of the offender.”

Mr Crisafulli blamed the “youth crime epidemic” on the current government’s “bad decision seven years ago to water down the Youth Justice Act”.

“There must be consequences for bad behaviour and it starts with breach of bail being an offence for young repeat offenders,” he said.

Dr Goldsworthy also said young criminals knew police were “hamstrung” when it came to police pursuits, meaning they would “drive more dangerously and faster”.

“The short term offending cycle is where you need to step in to protect the community … it is the long-term where you start talking about rehabilitation,” he said.

“In this scenario they’re not being rehabilitated anyway, and the community is not being protected.”

A spokeswoman for Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard said the reforms announced last month would amend the Youth Justice Act so courts would be required by legislation to take previous bail history, criminal activity and an offender’s track record into account when sentencing.

“The raft of reforms to make Queensland’s youth justice response even tougher is currently open for consultation with submissions invited by the public,” she said.

“That consultation will be considered before the tough new laws are introduced into parliament next month.

“The vast majority of the time, early intervention works with 80 per cent of young people who come to the attention of authorities never offending again. For those who continue to offend, there must be consequences.”

Originally published as Qld youth crime: Boy, 15, roams free after 80 charges, as kid perps game the system