Courts to investigate mental health history of teen charged over Karama bottle shop robbery

A teenager with a suspected intellectual disability will spend the next week behind bars after allegedly robbing a Top End bottle shop.

Karama bottle shop worker threatened with an edged weapon on Monday night. Picture: Facebook

A teenage boy will enter a cell for the first time in his life after allegedly holding up a Karma bottle shop worker for cash.

On Wednesday the 17-year-old boy — who cannot be named for legal reasons — appeared before youth court judge Thomasin Opie charged with two counts of aggravated robbery.

NT Police have alleged that about 7.45pm on Monday the 17-year-old threatened a worker with a knife at the Cellarbrations liquor store at Karama Shopping Plaza on Kalymnos Drive.

It was alleged he took some cash, but as security staff arrived he and another person fled the scene.

NT Police said there was insufficient evidence to confirm the second person’s involvement in robbery, however the court heard there were significant concerns about the arrested teenager’s ability to understand what occurred that evening.

Karama Shopping Plaza. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

On Wednesday, a Corrections representative said it had been flagged that the young man may have an intellectual disability, with his lawyer adding he was already diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and dyslexia.

His lawyer said the courts would need to consider if the boy had the capacity to understand the court process.

Ms Opie tried to explain what was happening to the teenager sitting quietly in the dock, telling him “I’m going to order a report about the way your brain works, your thinking”.

“I’m also going to order a report about how you’ve been in school, and when you were last in school — it might not have been recently, it might have been a while ago.”

Ms Opie heard that the teenager had a completely clean criminal record until this incident.

Darwin Youth Detention Centre at Holtze. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

While he was living with his cousin at the time of the alleged robbery, his files stated the young teen had spent a significant period in the Victorian child protection system.

Despite the teenager having no criminal history, the court heard he would have to spend a week in the Darwin Youth Detention Centre as his bail assessment was finalised.

His lawyer said she was also seeking an assessment for the teenager to access supported accommodation services, and a section 51 report — to assess if he was “in need of protection” or if “there is a risk to the wellbeing of the youth”.

As he walked back into the cells the young boy stopped to shake the hands of his father and grandfather, who waited in the courts to support him.

His matter was adjourned until May 8.

Originally published as Courts to investigate mental health history of teen charged over Karama bottle shop robbery