Youth who allegedly assaulted police officer arrested again

A teenager who had been accused of kicking a police officer has been arrested again after breaching his bail conditions.

The injured officer who was allegedly attacked.

A teenager who allegedly battered a police officer but was controversially granted bail by a magistrate is back in custody after breaching the conditions of his release just two days ago. The youth, 17, was allegedly caught with a mobile phone, against the magistrate’s orders, less than 48 hours after being freed.

The Children’s Court magistrate sparked a political furore after granting bail to the teenager despite conceding police had a “justifiable fear’’ of the youth’s conduct towards them.

The magistrate said the youth, who allegedly kicked the officer in the head at a Melbourne shopping centre, had good prospects ­despite his history of posting anti-police statements on Facebook: “You’ve got your education and you’ve got the support of your school and your family and that puts you so far ahead of so many people I see.”

The teen was arrested last Friday and charged with assaulting an emergency worker on duty, intentionally and recklessly causing injury, and common law assault.

He was on 12 months’ probation at the time of the attack and had a history of serious ­offending including charges of ­aggravated burglary and car theft.

The police prosecutor said the youth’s latest alleged offending was a ­“significant escalation” on his ­previous charges.

“This was a targeted offence on a soft target who was defenceless and Your Honour saw evidence that the police officer was on his knees, if not all fours, assisting an arrest of another person,” she said.

The court heard the youth had previously posted anti-police and anti-authority statements on Facebook and the magistrate said police had “justifiable fear” in ­relation to the youth’s conduct towards them.

Police told the court the youth’s social media profile showed association with “a large group of people known to investigators” who had ties to a range of offending. He alleged the youth was at an Airbnb property that was destroyed last month but had not been charged over the criminal damage. The magistrate said there would always be risk in relation to the youth, “but it has not been established that it is an unacceptable level of risk in relation to reoffending or to the safety and welfare of members of the public”.

“You’re very well supported by your family, don’t disappoint them or your community,” the magistrate said.

Police Association Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt said the decision was an insult and the police needed greater support from the courts. “What we have in this case is we have a person in a hospital bed and we have a person in the dock and there seems some confusion over which one of those two is the victim,” he said.

Victorian Police Minister Lisa Nev­ille demanded the courts ­explain their actions.