A manhunt is underway after Gold Coast police accidentally released a teen accused of a carjacking attempt

A TEEN accused of a carjacking attempt on the Gold Coast has turned himself in after police mistakenly let him out of jail.

Torn police tape left behind at the scene of the attempted carjacking on Mullewa Street at Helensvale. Picture: Jack Harbour.

THE 15-year-old boy who managed fool police and escape the Southport Police Station after being accused of a carjacking attempt has handed himself back in to police.

He returned to the station at 11.40am today with his lawyer Michael Gatenby.

Mr Gatenby said his client saw a chance to get out of lock up and took it.

“It was just opportunistic,” Mr Gatenby said.

He explained the 15-year-old wanted to meet his alleged co-accused who suffered severe head injuries in the bungled carjacking.

“He apparently tried to contact his friend who is in hospital,” Mr Gatenby said.

A police statement said their child protection and investigation unit is investigating the “inadvertent release”.

Police said they are reviewing the circumstances surrounding how the boy came to be released.

Site of the Helensvale car jacking.

Earlier:

POLICE are still looking for a 15-year-old accused of a carjacking attempt after he tricked officers into letting him out of custody yesterday.

The boy who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Southport Children’s Court that same morning charged with unlawful entry of a vehicle and threats of violence and was remanded in custody until May 10.

But police accidentally let him out on bail when he pretended to be another inmate who had been granted bail in Southport Court.

Acting Inspector Brett MacGibbon said watch-house staff let the teenager out one gate but realised their mistake within 30 seconds and gave chase.

The 15-year-old is then said to have jumped the second watch-house gate and led police on a chase through the streets of Southport where he was last seen near Nind and Johnston Streets.

“It certainly appears that it was a deliberate attempt to avoid remaining in custody.

“It is a bit embarrassing.

“I would have hoped that it wouldn’t be easy (to break out of the watch-house) but that’s subject to a review.”

The teenager is one of two police say solicited a lift from a 24-year-old woman at Harbour Town on Thursday night by telling the worker that they were being chased by a man.

When the car stopped on Mullewa Crescent at Helensvale at about 7.30pm on Thursday, police say a knife was produced and the teenagers demanded money and the driver’s car.

Seeing an opportunity to escape, the woman is said to have driven off, sending the 15-year-old girl crashing into the road where she suffered severe head injuries.

Police then said the boy fled but was later found by detectives and charged.

Yesterday, Magistrate Dermot Kehoe remanded the teenager in custody and adjourned the 15-year-old boy’s application for bail until May 10 so a conditional bail program could be provided to the court.

Criminal lawyer Michael Gatenby said in court, that it was the 15-year-old girl with his 15-year-old client who pulled the knife and made demands.

“This has been a salient wake-up call for him,” he said.

“He’s still a very young man ... he’s 15 by a month.

“It is a particularly weak case against my client.”

Lawyer Michael Gatenby said the case against his client came down to an allegation that he said one sentence while standing between the driver and the co-accused on the night of May 4.

He said his client had in fact tried to “distance himself from the alleged offending”.

“The co-offender was in possession of a knife ... At no time was my client in possession of a knife,” he said.

“He was in the motor vehicle ... he then gets out of the motor vehicle.

“An alleged threat is made by the co-accused.

“All of the consequences have nothing to do with my client.”

Mr Gatenby said his client wanted to stay out of trouble and stay away from the Gold Coast.

He told the court the defendant’s girlfriend’s mother who lived at Willowvale would be happy to take him in if he was granted bail.

“He doesn’t have the capacity to get back to the Gold Coast,” he said.

“He runs into this girl (at the shops), they catch a lift home.”

“He’s aware of the difficulty he now faces.”

But Magistrate Dermot Kehoe adjourned the application until May 10 so a conditional bail program could be provided to the court.

Outside court, Mr Gatenby said his client was upset about the life-threatening injuries sustained by his friend during the incident.

“It’s contentious as to what he did say (on the night),” he said.

“It will be a matter of the court deciding whether he was a party to the offence or whether he attempted to stop it.

“He’s very upset ... he’s a 15-year-old boy, he’s of course worried about the welfare of his friend.

“He’s been associating with these people and to find one of his friends in hospital and potentially with a life-threatening illness, of course it’s very worrying for him.”

Originally published as A manhunt is underway after Gold Coast police accidentally released a teen accused of a carjacking attempt