Toowoomba Court hears teen refuses to stay at group home

A young boy with an eight-page criminal history will stay in a jail cell instead of a Department of Safety residential home while he waits to be sentenced for stealing a car.

A transient teen with no fixed address has been remanded in custody after he refused to stay at a Child Safety group home.

The boy was caught in a stolen car in the company of others, and pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle on October 12.

His case was listed for sentence on Dec 6 and he was granted bail that included strict curfew conditions.

Toowoomba Childrens Court heard the boy ignored these conditions and within four days of his release had moved away from his bail address.

As a result of his poor compliance, a warrant was issued for his arrest and his bail was revoked.

Defence solicitor Michael Corbin made an application for fresh bail on Friday, arguing that his client was at risk of spending more time on remand than he is likely to receive at his sentencing in December.

He added that his client would be bailed into the custody of the Department of Child Safety at a Supported Independent Living Placement, where he would reside with other children under the care of a social worker.

In opposing bail, Police Prosecutor Julia Wheaton told the court that the boy was transient.

“He is self-placing, he has said he does not want to go to a Child Safety home and has said that if he is placed in one he will leave,” she said.

The court heard the boy was an active drug user who dropped out of school several years ago and moved between homes in Toowoomba, Brisbane and Ipswich.

Added to this, the boy was subject to two probation orders and two restorative justice orders when he was caught in the stolen car.

Acting Magistrate Patricia Kirkman-Scroope denied the boy’s release.

“This child in my view has an unenviable history, he seems to have complete disregard for bail, and is largely transient,” he said.

“There is an unacceptable risk he will commit further offences and that he poses a risk to the community.”

The boy will remain at the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre until his sentencing on December 6.