Boy, 12, with 19-page criminal history pleads guilty to unlawfully using cars and spitting on detention centre staff

A young boy, 12, with a 19-page criminal history has agreed to meet the owners of stolen cars in which he has ridden and a home he broke into.

A boy, 12, with a lengthy criminal history will meet owners of stolen cars in which he’s ridden as part of a restorative justice order.

A young boy, 12, with a 19-page criminal history has agreed to meet the owners of stolen cars in which he has ridden and a home he broke into.

The boy pleaded guilty to eight charges in Cairns Children’s Court this week, including two unlawful use of a motor vehicle, attempting to enter a dwelling at night, and to a string of assault and obstruct charges related to his violent behaviour in the watch-house and spitting on officers in the youth detention centre.

Magistrate Terence Browne described the boy as ‘very suggestible’ and noted he was easily led astray by older children, but was also very likely to go along with orders, participating well in court-ordered programs.

He said the boy’s willingness to return to school and participate in restorative justice meetings with victims was a good sign.

“He’s following the wrong kids … we’ve just got to get him on the right programs because he goes,” Mr Browne said.

“When you are 12, you can change ... it gets harder when you are older,” Mr Browne told the boy.

“People get very upset when their cars get damaged or destroyed and it is good you are prepared to meet some of the owners of the cars.

“You listen and they will want to tell you how hard it was to get their cars and what they mean to them.”

The boy admitted to being a passenger in two stolen cars in Cairns in December 2024.

Police Prosecutor Mary Molloy said the boy was a passenger in two stolen cars in Cairns in December 2024.

One car — a Subaru — was driven into a gutter by the children, popping its tyre, and the other — an MG — was later found in a creek.

The attempted entry charge relates to an attempted break-in at Brinsmead between 2am and 3am on December 12, where the boy and his friends were disturbed by the homeowner as they tried to move from the garage into the home.

They ran off but the neighbour’s CCTV cameras helped police to identify the boy.

Fingerprint evidence was also found in one of the stolen cars.

Ms Molloy said the boy had violently resisted a watch-house officer when they tried to wake him to move him to a youth detention centre.

A boy, 12, obstructed officers who were trying to move him from the watchhouse to a youth detention facility. Picture: Brendan Radke

She said he also spat on three officers at Cleveland Youth Detention Centre in two different incidents.

In the first incident, he spat on two officers’ legs and, in the second incident, he tried to flood his room then spat on an officer’s face and mouth through the grille of his cell as the officer tried to mop up water.

Magistrate Browne noted the boy had spent 43 days in custody over Christmas before his sentencing, which he said was “enough” in sentencing the boy to a formal reprimand and a restorative justice order.

Originally published as Boy, 12, with 19-page criminal history pleads guilty to unlawfully using cars and spitting on detention centre staff