South Burnett teenager pleads guilty after violent New Year’s Eve rampage

A 15-year-old boy has felt the long arm of the law following a terrifying crime spree during which homes were broken into, at least one occupant was threatened with a knife, and a woman was robbed and bashed.

The boy, who was 15-years-old at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to six charges related to breaking and entering, stealing and car theft in Kingaroy Court on May 14, 2025.

A teenager who terrorised South Burnett residents during a violent New Year’s Eve crime spree has been condemned by a judge for his “cowardly offences” that undermined community safety.

The boy, who was 15-years-old at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to six charges related to breaking and entering, stealing and car theft in Kingaroy Court on May 14, 2025.

Court documents revealed he and a group of young people went on a crime spree in the Kingaroy area on New Year’s Eve last year.

The group broke into a house in Kingaroy, and stole electronic devices along with the keys to the resident’s car, which they drove off in.

They then broke into the garage of another house, where they were confronted by the occupant when he came out to investigate what was going on.

One of the members of the group, reportedly not the defendant, threatened the man with a knife and tried to steal his car keys.

They moved on to another home, where they tried to break into a car parked out the front.

The owner of the car, a woman who was visiting the premises, came upon them and tried to scare them away.

Judge Carl Heaton said the group threatened and assaulted her, before grabbing her bag and stealing her car.

Judge Carl Heaton told the court the group threatened and assaulted a woman in Kingaroy, before grabbing her bag and stealing her car. Picture: Supplied

“She tried to frighten you away, but you were undeterred,” Judge Heaton said.

“You all stayed there and then threatened her, and in fact, somebody assaulted her, punched her, grabbed her bag and took off with it, stole her car keys, drove off in her car.”

Finally, the group went to a 24-hour service station, where they threatened a worker with a knife and stole cigarettes from inside the shop.

The court heard the 15-year-old had a limited criminal history, but had also been charged with a similar offence that happened in October, 2024.

Reportedly, he was a passenger in a stolen car, where he went with other people who broke into two local businesses and stole food and cash.

He also tried to break into another business by himself on the same day by “smashing” the front window with a pickaxe, the documents state.

Judge Heaton used strong words to describe the teenager’s crimes and their effect on the community.

“You and your friends callously disregard the rights of other members of our community in your cowardly offences, and you contributed to the widespread fear in the community and undermined the sense of safety and wellbeing both to the specific victims, but also to the community generally,” Judge Heaton said.

“Gone now are the days of detention as a last resort for children like you who commit serious offences.”

The court heard the boy was arrested and jailed on January 1, and had spent 98 days in detention.

The time in custody was taken into account by the judge, who sentenced him to three years probation. No convictions were recorded.

Originally published as South Burnett teenager pleads guilty after violent New Year’s Eve rampage