17-year-old’s Bendigo home invasion bail application ‘abandoned’ after ‘aggressive’ courtroom tantrum

A youth’s courtroom tantrum derailed his bail bid after he allegedly nearly hit a pedestrian as he fled police at 135km/h in a car stolen in a home invasion while he was on bail.

A 17-year-old applied for bail after allegedly fleeing police at 135km/h on Wednesday in a car stolen in a Bendigo home invasion.

A 17-year-old charged over multiple Bendigo home invasions threw a tantrum doing his bail bid as police showed shocking footage of the teen allegedly nearly hitting a pedestrian as he fled police at 135km/h in a stolen car.

The teen applied for bail in a Children’s Court on Friday after he was arrested at an Ironbark Rd address earlier this week and charged following several high speed police chases through Bendigo in cars allegedly stolen in home invasions and aggravated burglaries.

On Wednesday the accused nearly hit a pedestrian at 135km/h on Barnard St while he fled police in a car stolen during a home invasion, police alleged in court.

Police allege the teen stole $250 from a car at Kangaroo flat on March 8 while the owner was carrying groceries into his house. Picture: Supplied

Earlier on February 24, police allege the youth stole a car during a home invasion in Golden Square before later fleeing police at speeds in excess of 100km/h, allegedly driving dangerously on the wrong side of the road and forcing drivers to swerve to avoid a collision.

Police allege the teen would regularly post pictures of himself on Instagram inside and driving allegedly stolen cars.

Police also allege the teenager was involved in a crime spree over the Labour Day weekend.

He was charged over a home invasion on Saturday when he allegedly entered the garage of a Kangaroo Flat home where a Ford Mustang was located while the owners were home with their two young kids.

A woman who lived at the address went to investigate noises she heard with her eight month old baby in her arms when she disturbed the teen who allegedly fled the scene in an allegedly stolen Hyundai Tucson.

The teen allegedly committed several home invasions while on bail for similar offending.

Police alleged he was an unacceptable risk to the community, with the teen allegedly committing crime spree after crime spree every time while he was on bail for outstanding charges dating back to offences when he was 15.

The court heard there were more than a dozen criminal charges including alleged thieving, stealing cars, assaults, police chases, aggravated burglaries and general mayhem.

In one 2023 incident the teen allegedly walked around Bendigo’s CBD brandishing weapons and threatening people unprovoked.

Police pursued the teen, who was 15 at the time, and arrested him in possession of a baton and a flip knife.

The law prohibits the identification of a person under the age of 18 who is charged with a criminal offence.

The teen’s bail application was “abandoned” before his lawyers could explain why he should be released from custody when the teen, who appeared by video link from Parkville, began punching the camera and kicking furniture and the door of the room, forcing several corrections officers to haul him out.

“It would appear the applicant has left the video link room” Magistrate Russell Kelly observed after watching the teen “acting very aggressively” and “gesticulating wildly” for several minutes.

The bail application was withdrawn and the youth’s case was adjourned to April 2.