Youth crim facing new charges after breaking into garage
Victoria should be “appalled” by one of the state’s worst child criminals who is “causing terror” in the community, a magistrate has said before releasing him on bail again.
South East
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Victoria should be “appalled” by one of the state’s worst child criminals — a 14-year-old who previously had more than 380 charges struck out because of his age — who is “causing terror” in the community, a magistrate has said before releasing him on bail again.
A children’s court magistrate told the teenager his alleged crimes, which involved breaking into a northern suburbs garage housing luxury cars, were “very serious”, before releasing him on bail again.
“You’re causing terror in the community,” the magistrate said.
“You’re also destroying your own life because you can’t have any good future living this life.”
In a bail application on Thursday, police alleged the boy and two other unknown people entered the home from a rear door, before making their way into the garage.
Police alleged the boy filmed the group as they walked around two luxury cars, with the footage later found on his phone.
But the boy’s defence lawyer said it was “impossible to prove” he was the cameraman.
Police also brought CCTV footage of the boy allegedly leaving the property through the front door, wearing the same clothes he was seen to be wearing in a selfie also found on his phone.
The court heard GPS tracking had also allegedly pinged the youth’s phone at the address at the time of the offending.
The magistrate said there was “no reasonable doubt” the CCTV depicted the accused.
“There is no doubt in my mind to say he did enter the house,” the magistrate said.
He is yet to plead either way on the new charges.
Earlier in the month, a court heard he had been a part of a group who had smashed into liquor and lotto stores spanning Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs, using a sledgehammer to gain access to the businesses before he drove two stolen cars in a high-speed chase, involving police helicopters.
The string of burglaries included a horrifying knifepoint theft of a woman’s car and the burglary of a couple’s home as their baby slept.
Police stopped the stolen cars using spikes and later found packets of sour patch lollies and a sledgehammer inside.
On Thursday, the court was told the teen was on a refugee visa, which would be automatically cancelled if he were convicted.
He had also spent more than 100 days in youth detention.
“The community is and should be appalled at his offending,” the magistrate said.
“He doesn’t understand why this is behaviour he shouldn’t be doing because his moral reasoning is so poor.”
The notorious 14-year-old was released on bail to residential care ahead of his sentencing, with a firm warning from the magistrate to “try something different”.
He will return to court at a later date to be sentenced.
The boy previously had 388 criminal charges against him struck out, due to the doli incapax rule, where a child aged 10 to 14 can’t be held criminally responsible.
The Herald Sun has previously revealed he had also run away from his residential care 23 times since December.
This case comes after new crime data was released demonstrating the terrifying escalation of youth crime in Victoria, particularly relating to repeat offenders.
The information showed more than a third of young criminals are repeat offenders, and that 84 aggravated burglaries committed in Victoria last year were by children aged 10 to 13 years old.
