Why Laa Chol’s teen killer should never have been free
Nineteen-year-old law student Laa Chol was stabbed in the heart by a teen thug with a shocking history of violent crime. Now his rap sheet reveals the out-of-control brute should never have been free.
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A teen thug with a shocking rap sheet killed student Laa Chol by stabbing her in the heart just months after being freed from his second stint in youth detention.
The Herald Sun can reveal the 17-year-old African boy’s violent criminal history and how he has run riot on Victorian streets since he was 14, after a Supreme Court jury on Friday found him guilty of murdering Ms Chol.
The brute’s extensive criminal history includes aggravated burglaries, carjackings, armed robberies, thefts, resisting police and behaving in a riotous manner.
Even when locked up for his crimes he could not be controlled, being involved in affrays and an assault with a weapon in detention.
The out-of-control youth was also among dozens of inmates who escaped from Malmsbury youth jail in January 2017, sparking a huge police manhunt.
While on the run, the one-time AFL hopeful went on a terrifying crime spree, terrorising a mum and daughter in a carjacking at Elphinstone.
A children’s court magistrate sentenced him to 14 months’ youth detention in August 2017.
He now faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for the murder of Ms Chol.
Her grieving family and friends hugged inside the court as the 12-person jury delivered its verdict at 3.25pm.
He will return to court for a pre-sentence hearing on November 18. Justice Stephen Kaye will sentence him at a later date.
RAP SHEET REVEALED
July 21, 2018
Murdered Laa Chol in a Melbourne CBD apartment
May 14, 2017
Criminal damage during a riot at Malmsbury youth jail
January 25, 2017
Riotously assembled with other Malmsbury inmates
Escaped from Malmsbury
Theft of $50,000 car from Malmsbury carpark
Carjacking while on the run
December 30, 2016
Assault with weapon at Malmsbury, two counts
November 13, 2016
Burglary and criminal damage, Parkville youth jail
November 12, 2016
Property, Parkville
November 8, 2016
Affray, Parkville
Criminal damage, Parkville
October 11, 2016
Affray, Parkville
July 13, 2016
Aggravated burglary and theft of motor vehicle. He and five others stormed a Rockbank family home, putting a knife to a dad’s throat and demanding his car keys while his wife and young children were in the house. The group stole two cars, he later drove one.
July 11, 2016
Aggravated burglary and theft of motor vehicle from a home in Point Cook where a family was sleeping.
June 10, 2016
Resisting police
June 4, 2016
Car theft
April 22, 2016
Theft of phone from a woman walking in Carlton
April 5, 2016
Bicycle theft in CBD
March 14, 2016
Behaving in a riotous manner at DFO South Wharf
March 3, 2016
Robbery of a man’s phone as he walked across a sports oval in St Albans. Blocked the victim’s path and said “fight me”, before punching him
January 11, 2016
Theft of phone from a man walking in Carlton