Teen to stay behind bars because he refuses to stop hanging out with gang members

A teen charged over a deadly St Kilda brawl has been honest “to his detriment” in admitting he won’t comply with bail conditions.

A teen charged over a deadly St Kilda brawl will spend Christmas behind bars because he refuses to stop hanging out with gang members.

The boy, 17, charged with affray and violent disorder over the fight that left Hashim Mohamed dead, served himself a lump of Christmas coal due to his honesty with authorities.

A children’s court on Friday heard the teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been truthful “to his detriment” in admitting he wouldn’t comply with bail conditions not to associate with Original Gangster Killer members.

“He is the author of his own demise,” a magistrate said.

An earlier court hearing was told a fight between two rival youth gangs had led to the fatal stabbing of Mr Mohamed, 18, on December 4.

Teen Hashim Mohamad died after he was stabbed in St Kilda.

The brawl, involving about 20 young men, was captured on CCTV.

The magistrate said he was concerned about the boy’s “affiliation with a particular organisation, which has a negative affiliation with another similar organisation”.

His Honour asked the boy’s lawyer: “There is an honest indication by this young person that he’s not prepared to abide by the conditions … so why would I impose it?”

The defence lawyer argued that other gang members would be breaching their own bail if they were to associate with the boy: “The whole group would be remanded.”

But while his co-accused had non association orders, the magistrate said, “the remainder of the OGK don’t have that”.

The court heard over the past few weeks the boy had been living at his family home with his siblings aged between four and 20 years old while his mother was in Africa and his father was interstate for work.

Despite his father’s assurance to the court that he would stay in Melbourne to be with his son, the magistrate said his concerns remained and asked for further work to be done before granting bail.

His Honour told a youth justice worker that her support was “critical” and adjourned the hearing to the start of the new year.

Another boy, 17, also charged with affray and unlawful violence along with six others over the St Kilda fight, and further of possessing cannabis, was granted bail on Friday.