18-year-old charged with recruiting child alleged for crime along with 19 other offences

The first charge under the NT government’s “ringleader” legislation has been laid, with a youth charged with recruiting a child for an alleged crime spree.

Police have charged an 18-year-old with recruiting a child for an alleged crime spree across Palmerston.

AN 18-year-old man has been charged with recruiting a child for an alleged crime spree across Palmerston, the first charge laid under the “ringleader” legislation.

Police allege on September 6 a group of males, aged between nine and 18, was responsible for five unlawful entries, two motor vehicle thefts, criminal damage and stealing from residences in Gunn, Rosebery, Moulden, Woodroffe and a commercial premises in Durack throughout the day.

“The same 18-year-old was also identified as an offender in an aggravated assault on a bus in Palmerston on Monday afternoon,” Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Bland said.

The man was charged with one count each of recruitment of a child, the first charge laid under the NT government’s “ringleader” legislation which targets people over the age of 18 who recruit young people into crime.

In addition the man was charged with one count each of going armed in public, possessing/carrying/using offensive weapon, aggravated unlawful use of a vehicle, driving unlicensed and resisting police.

He was also charged with three counts of unlawful entry of a dwelling, two counts of trespassing, four counts of stealing, three counts of property damage and two counts of aggravated assault.

He was remanded to appear in Darwin Local Court on September 9.

A 13-year-old will be dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act and the nine-year-old was returned to the care of a responsible adult.

Police are still to arrest a fourth offender.