Keanu Thomas, 18, charged over Daly River crossbow riots faces court

The court heard a warrant had been out for his arrest for more than six months after he allegedly breached a previous bail undertaking specifically banning him from entering Daly River.

Keanu Thomas (left) has faced court charged with going armed in public, taking part in a riot, recklessly endangering life, aggravated assault and engage in violent conduct.

A teenager who allegedly fired a crossbow at a group of people during rioting in Daly River last week was on bail and had a warrant out for his arrest at the time, a court has heard.

Keanu Thomas, 18, faced the Darwin Local Court on Wednesday charged with going armed in public, taking part in a riot, recklessly endangering life, aggravated assault and engaging in violent conduct.

The court heard he had been granted bail in September last year and allegedly tampered with or removed his electronic monitoring device at least four times before failing to show up at court a month later.

In opposing another grant of bail, prosecutor Adele Peluso said it was alleged Thomas had been armed with a crossbow which he “fired towards a group of people” as up to 40 rioters descended on Daly River last Tuesday.

But defence lawyer Corrin Demeo said Thomas had never been in custody before and the best place for him was “with a supportive older family members away from the trouble of Daly River” in Darwin.

“He’s now spent his first ever time (in jail), being six days, he’s been there since the 3rd of May and he’s been sleeping on the reception floor (because) there’s no beds,” she said.

Ms Demeo said after being bailed to live in Wadeye last year, Thomas had then moved to Daly River to live with family and would be on “strict rules” if released again.

The court heard Thomas allegedly breached his bail conditions at least four times and had a warrant out for his arrest.

But in refusing bail, judge Therese Austin said he was already on “strict rules” when she let him go last time, including being “specifically banned from going to Daly River”.

“He was not to enter Daly River or Nauiyu community or Peppimenarti, not to possess or consume alcohol, he had very strict bail conditions, then this offending has breached his bail,” she said.

“He was supposed to come to court, after being granted bail on the 14th of September, on the 11th of October, that’s less than month later, and he failed to attend.”

Ms Austin said it was alleged that “on four separate occasions at least, he has tampered with or not complied with his electronic monitoring and curfew zone and things like that”.

“I’m not prepared to order another bail assessment report with very similar conditions which would be supervision, electronic monitoring, even if it was in Darwin,” she said.

“I’m not of the view that he will comply with any bail conditions I could put in place at this stage.”