Failed carjacker warned he will go to adult jail for next offence

Aged at 18 years and one month, this Toowoomba man has accrued an appalling criminal history, that included robbery, threatening violence, assault and wounding.

A TOOWOOMBA teen was in the throes of meth withdrawal and enraged after a fight with his girlfriend when he attempted to carjack a 62-year-old man, the Children’s Court of Queensland heard.

The teen ran from his home in broad daylight and jumped on the victim’s car bonnet on November 10, 2020.

Crown Prosecutor Ellen Fletcher said the teen produced an eight-inch knife and thrust it at the victim’s face, ordering him out of his car.

After a brief scuffle, the teen reached into the vehicle and removed the car keys from the ignition.

The victim was only saved when the teen’s father intervened, calling him home.

Ms Fletcher called on Justice Dennis Lynch to lock the boy up, citing his convictions for robbery, threatening violence, assault and wounding.

“He has an appalling criminal history,” she said.

Barrister Jessica Goldie, for the defence, said her client had started to straighten out his life in preparation for his child being born in June.

Ms Goldie also noted the teen had completed several qualifications while serving 122 days in pre-sentence custody and had a job lined up.

Justice Lynch noted the seriousness of the offending.

“If do this again, it won’t be a detention centre that you go to – it will be jail,” he said.

Justice Lynch ordered a two-year probation after the teen’s plea of guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, unlawfully entering a vehicle to commit an indictable offence while armed and stealing.