Bodi Jace Willis: Man charged for alleged violent robbery of Surfers Paradise tourists

A 20-year-old Currumbin Waters man, facing charges relating to the violent robbery of two Surfers Paradise tourists, did not apply for bail when the matter appeared in court. Read the latest on what we know.

Charges laid over alleged violent robbery of tourists at Surfers Paradise. Picture Glenn Hampson/Archive.

A 20-year-old Currumbin Waters man charged with robbing two tourists at Surfers Paradise on Monday morning has had his matter listed before the court.

Bodhi Jace Willis is charged with one count of enter premises with intent, one count of possess utensils, three charges of possessing dangerous drugs, and two counts of armed robbery in company using personal violence.

Court documents reveal that police will allege Willis possessed a glass bong, cannabis, MDMA and cocaine on the day of the robbery.

Willis did not appear in the Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday when the matter appeared.

Legal aid duty lawyer Katie Grotherr told the court that Willis had been subjected to a return to prison warrant and the matter needed to be adjourned for that application to be processed.

She told the court Allen and Searing Criminal Lawyers, who usually represent Willis, will be taking on the matter.

Magistrate Pam Dowse adjourned to matter to July 8 with Willis’ appearance not required.

Bail was not applied for and no pleas have been entered.

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A man has been charged by police over an alleged violent gang robbery of two tourists at Surfers Paradise in the early hours of Monday morning.

The two victims were walking back to their hotel on the corner of Elkhorn and Orchid Ave at about 2am when it’s alleged they were followed by a group of up to 10 men, who were not known to them, and chased into the lobby.

They were allegedly bashed and had their phones stolen before the gang ran off.

The victims, aged 18 and 20, were treated by paramedics and taken to Gold Coast University Hospital where one of the men was treated for a haematoma to his face and the other required an X-ray on his fingers for a hand injury.

Following investigations, police arrested a man at Surfers Paradise about 9am the same day. Overnight, a 20-year-old Currumbin Waters man was charged with three counts of possessing dangerous drugs and one count each of robbery in company using violence, enter premises and possessing utensils.

He’ll face Southport Magistrates Court today, June 3.

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On Monday morning, Acting Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Peter Miles described the alleged offending as “serious” and said the gang had orchestrated the attack.

“They (offenders) were, you know, planning on what they were going to do. There’s a fair degree of calculation there, and that’s concerning as well that know, they’re preparing themselves up to fight,” he said.

“It’s one thing to do a robbery on your own, it’s another to actually use it with violence, but to do it in a gang. It just shows you that they’ve got a lack of backbone – they can’t do it on their own. They’ve got to do it in a team of 10, on two young fellas who are walking home. So they’re real cowards in my opinion.”

Police returned to Elkhorn Ave throughout the day after receiving reports of a group of males matching the description of those involved walking in the area.

“I think it’s more opportunistic behaviour. They feel like they’ve got enough courage because there’s a few of them together. There’ no indication that it’s (organised) gang related in any way,” Chief Supt Miles said.

“We’re hopeful through the good work on the council CCTV network that we’ll make arrests in relation to those matters sooner rather than later.”

Investigations into the assault are ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444.

Originally published as Bodi Jace Willis: Man charged for alleged violent robbery of Surfers Paradise tourists