Teen wins fourth chance on bail despite police fears
A teenager who can’t go more than a few weeks without being nabbed by police has been bailed for a fourth time. Police allege the teen was involved in one robbery just hours after leaving court.
Police & Courts
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A teen charged over violent gang attacks has been given a fourth chance on bail, despite police fears for community safety.
It’s a case of three strikes still not out for the 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who was this month granted bail for the fourth time despite continually thumbing his nose at the law.
He has been unable to go more than a matter of weeks without being picked up by police and charged with new offences.
On one occasion last month he had been out of court just hours before police allege he was involved in a robbery.
He was first charged on December 9 over an attack on a fellow student who was kicked and punched in the face, head and jaw by a group of up to 15 of the boy’s associates.
Police allege the boy had demanded his victim’s phone before calling on his mates to attack him.
The boy was bailed by police but was allegedly involved in a similar holdup less than two weeks later.
He was arrested over that incident on January 14, and bailed.
But police say he was quickly up to his old tricks again, and after spending the day in court on January 31, went out and attacked a third victim.
The teen sought bail in the Supreme Court where prosecutors argued that the teen was an unacceptable risk of reoffending while on bail.
They also argued he posed a risk to public safety.
However his lawyers argued his youth, the fact he had no prior convictions and the shock of being in custody for the first time raised exceptional circumstances warranting bail.
They also argued he had strong family support and a good history at school.
Granting bail Justice Andrew Tinney said he had serious concerns about the teen reoffending.
“Were he to do so, the community may be endangered,” Justice Tinney said.
“He has seemingly, in recent months, shown a disturbing inclination to engage in violent offending in which sometimes large groups of offenders including himself have robbed and applied gratuitous and dangerous violence to defenceless individuals in public places.”
He said if it were not for his youth, the seriousness of the offending and subsequent bail breaches would most likely have seen the teen stay behind bars.
“In the end, it has weighed heavily on my mind, in considering the unacceptable risk test, that the applicant may be at a critical juncture in his life,” Justice Tinney said.
“He is 15 years old with what could be a promising life in front of him. A reasonable education and the opportunities that may present are still things within his grasp.
“He has not been in trouble in the past. He has the prospect of turning things around. The law would require that he be given every opportunity to do so.
“With considerable hesitation … I have concluded that there are stringent conditions of bail which will be such as to ameliorate the risk posed by the applicant to an acceptable one.”
The boy will be subject to a nightly curfew, and will remain under the supervision of Youth Justice workers while on bail.
As part of his bail conditions he must also attend school.
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