Young boy’s violent outbursts against care workers and six months of crime finalised in Cairns court

An 11-year-old boy assaulted another child for $1.20, rocked businesses, stole from service stations and punched a residential care worker three times, a court has heard.

An 11-year-old boy with no criminal history has pleaded guilty to assaulting his care workers, and to throwing rocks at business windows in anger or to break in.

An 11-year-old boy assaulted another child for $1.20, rocked businesses, stole from service stations and punched a residential care worker three times, a court has heard.

The boy pleaded guilty in a Cairns court last week to 25 charges.

The primary school aged boy was also charged with three others last year over a rock-throwing incident on the Cairns Esplanade in which a French tourist was struck and injured by the projectile, but that charge was discontinued along with more than 150 others after “extensive case conferencing” related to the boy’s young age and his ability to understand, the court was told.

The charges of stealing, common assault, drug possession, entering a property with intent and wilful damage related to a host of crimes from the past eight months, usually committed with other children, and including the assault of another child for $1.20, breaking the glass windows and doors of several businesses with rocks, and stealing food and drinks from service stations and convenience stores.

Acting Magistrate Gelma Meoli asked the boy to stop hiding in his T-shirt before taking his pleas on the 25 remaining charges.

“I know you are only 11 years of age but it appears that when things don’t go your way, you just react and destroy things or hurt people, and that is not good behaviour,” Ms Meoli said.

Acting Magistrate Gelma Meoli said the boy needed support to stop lashing out when he was upset.

In October last year, the boy threw rocks at a care organisation’s window, breaking it, then pushed a care worker against a wall and punched them three times when they refused to hand over their personal mobile phone, the court was told.

Six months later, the boy hit out at another worker from his residential care home with an oar, striking him on the hand, then throwing a chair towards him.

The boy was upset at being asked to pick up some items from the floor, the court was told.

“There have been a number of incidents of actual violence against people who are caring for you who are just trying to do their best for you,” Ms Meoli said.

“I think at this point, to teach and assist you on the right path, especially in choosing your friends, you would benefit from supervision,” she said in sentencing him to four months probation.

The primary-school aged boy spent two weeks in custody on remand.

The court was told the boy had spent 14 days in custody on remand.

Magistrate Meoli said the most serious offences were the assaults and the break-ins, one of which involved the boy throwing rocks at a city business sliding door until it broke, then stealing $150 from the cash register inside.

The boy was in the care of the Department of Child Safety, the court was told, and had been living in residential care homes, but was not going to school or involved in any sport.

The boy’s defence solicitor said he was now engaged with youth services and his carers were trying to find him a tutor for home schooling, and a sporting team to join.

Originally published as Young boy’s violent outbursts against care workers and six months of crime finalised in Cairns court