Toowoomba teen sentenced for role in violent carjacking at major Ipswich shopping centre

A court has been told a woman was confronted by three Darling Downs teenagers as she loaded her groceries into her car at a major Ipswich shopping centre when her life changed forever.

Picture: File / Rogers Phil

A teenager who took part in the violent carjacking of a mother loading groceries into her car in an undercover carpark at a major Ipswich shopping centre has been released from detention after spending most of 2024 in custody.

It was the 32nd time he was dealt with for an unlawful use charge.

At the Children’s Court of Queensland in Toowoomba on Friday, October 8, the 15-year-old Darling Downs boy was sentenced to nine months in detention, with release after serving 70 per cent, and a two year probation order upon his immediate release.

The court was told the boy and two other teenagers aged 17 and 18, confronted a 51-year-old woman after she loaded groceries into her car on April 20, 2024, at an underground carpark at the Orion Shopping Centre in Springfield, Ipswich.

Orion Shopping Centre in Springfield. Photo: Rob Williams / The Queensland Times

The court was told that one of the co-offenders demanded the woman hand over her car keys, however when the woman attempted to grab the teen, stopping him from getting to her handbag on a seat, that offender hit her arm forcefully with the car door.

The teens then got into the car, a co-offender driving at the woman as she attempted to block their getaway and yelled for help.

About four days later the car was found in bushland in the border town of Boggabilla, and the teen was arrested and remanded in custody 10 days after the incident.

The woman’s wrist was badly injured and required surgery, however the court heard the crime had further ramifications on her and her family.

The woman wrote in her victim statement that she was too fearful to return to the Orion Shopping Centre and had a fear of being in public spaces, resulting in panic attacks.

The court was told the woman’s husband and children became fearful their home would have been targeted by the thieves, which resulted in them spending money on increasing their home security.

Reading the victim impact statement before the court, the teen told his barrister he was shocked and never realised the long-term effects property crimes had and he really wanted to meet with the woman to apologise.

The woman told the Crown she was not willing to meet the teen and partake in a restorative justice order, however Judge Vicki Loury KC ordered one in hopes the woman would change her mind or send another family member in her place.

“Which is understandable given the significant ongoing impacts (to her and her family),” she said.

She said a lack of parental supervision was a contributing factor of his offending, noting when he was in a stable home his primary school record was “excellent” and he has won a number of awards.

Judge Loury said the teenager’s behavioural issues began after a family breakdown and move that resulted in him turning to a negative peer group.

“He viewed his peers as his family, he said he felt he had to get into the car and found it difficult to resist the influence,” she said.

Judge Loury told the teen the incident he was involved in was very serious and very bad, however that did not mean he was a bad person and there was still hope for him to turn his life around.

“She was just doing her groceries so that she could feed her family,” she said.

“She now finds herself crying and wondering why this crime was committed on her.

“The people that you… think are your friends and family who care for you don’t care for you at all, they’re the people that you know in detention.

“Good friends would not have you stealing cars… breaking into houses… and robbing a lady of her car and handbag.”

She told him if he did not make changes he would find himself in detention again and urged him to reach out to support services when needed.

“The community here in Toowoomba probably don’t want you released… but I am going to order that you be released,” she said.

“You need to show them that you’re a better man than who you have been.”

The teen’s mother was in court when he was sentenced to serve 70 per cent of a nine month detention order, to be placed on a two year probation order once released, after pleading guilty to partaking in a violent robbery and unlawful use.