Teens face court over violent attack on woman in CBD

FOUR teenagers have faced charges of deprivation of liberty and attempted robbery with violence in the Toowoomba Childrens Court.

ON first impression, and in just about any other circumstance, they would have come across like a schoolgirl, a pageboy and a couple of casually dressed teenage girls.

But yesterday the four teenagers took on a more sinister appearance as charges of deprivation of liberty and attempted robbery with violence were read against them in Toowoomba Childrens Court.

A fifth member of their group, 15, had appeared by video link from prison about 30 minutes earlier to have her charges, as well as 23 other charges, adjourned for a week until Legal Aid funding could be organised.

The girls, aged 14, 14 and 16 as well as a 15-year-old boy were each accompanied by a defence solicitor as police handed up 17 statements and 20 exhibits for their case to be heard under the higher jurisdiction of the Childrens Court of Queensland.

Included in the exhibits was video footage, downloaded from a phone, of the teenagers' April 12 attack on a woman in the vicinity of McCrum St, in the CBD.

Photos of the victim's injuries were also handed up as evidence.

Magistrate Damian Carroll released the four on bail on the condition they were not to have any contact with each other and were not to enter the CBD unless accompanied by a specified guardian.

Meanwhile, a 12-year-old boy appearing on a separate matter had two charges of sexual assault while in company read out against him during a committal hand up to the Childrens Court of Queensland.

His co-accused, an 11-year-old boy, had his three counts of the same charge adjourned for a week.

Originally published as Teens face court over violent attack on woman in CBD