19-year-old boy sentenced in Townsville Magistrate Court for Bowen Christmas Eve crime spree

A teen with an “extraordinary” criminal history went on a ramraiding spree which ended in a dramatic police chase only three weeks after walking free for similar crimes.

A North Queensland magistrate has admitted she could’ve given a teenager more jail time after his Christmas Eve crime spree but believed there was still “hope” for him despite his lengthy juvenile crime history.

A 19-year-old boy was sentenced in Townsville’s Magistrate Court on Monday for causing $51,000 in damages to Bowen businesses during a string of ram raids which ended in a police chase and the teens arrest.

Police prosecutor Danny Burke said the young man had been released on parole three weeks earlier for similar offences when he, along with multiple other people, used a stolen car to smash through the doors of stores across Bowen and steal from them in December last year.

Mr Burke said the group caused $15,000 in damages to Peries IGA, $645 in damages to the Grandview Hotel, $5,800 in damages and over $9,000 in stolen goods from Metro Bowen and $18,000 in damages and $2,500 in stolen goods from BP Marinda.

“He was given that opportunity to be on parole and effectively what he’s done within a month, he’s gone and committed the exact same type of offending,” he said.

A teenager was sentenced after a ram-raid spree which caused $18,000 in damages to BP Merinda.

Defence lawyer Anmol Nand from Legal Aid Queensland said the teen had begun using marijuana at only 13 years old and had suffered from a methamphetamine addiction for some time.

During her sentencing, Magistrate Cathy McLennan said the boy had an “extraordinary” juvenile criminal history which included numerous charges of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, break and enters, wilful intents, wilful damages, invasions, burglary, stealing and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

“The court sentences given under the previous youth justice legislation didn’t even slow you down as much as a speed bump would have,” she said.

“In terms of penalty, really there is a couple of reprimands, restorative justice orders, a bit of probation and for all that offending no actual imprisonment which is shocking.

“It’s no wonder that you’ve come out of the juvenile justice system and it’s a habit to offend like this and I think that has set you up for failure and that has also set the community up in a way to suffer as they have.”

Magistrate McLennan said she had decided on a lesser sentence for the 19-year-old because he had committed all the crimes in one night and not over the course of multiple occasions.

“Even though you got three years last time and you’ve gone out and committed the same offences, it’s not an adding game,” she said.

“I could’ve given you more than three years really but you’re young and I still think there is hope for you, I still think that there’s a chance that you will start to really think about what you’re doing.”

The 19-year-old pleaded guilty to evading police, entering premises and committing an indictable offence by break, trespass and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

He was sentenced to two years in jail which will be served on top of his previous three year conviction and his 111 days spent in pre-sentence custody was not declared as time served.

The teen will be eligible for parole on July 24, 2025.

Originally published as 19-year-old boy sentenced in Townsville Magistrate Court for Bowen Christmas Eve crime spree