‘We’re from the C-Gang’: Youth claims to be leader of crime spree

A 15-year-old boy who broke into homes, stole cars, rammed other motorists, and targeted women, making them fear for their lives, will likely spend the rest of his teen years in detention.

A 15-year-old boy who broke into homes, stole cars, rammed other motorists, and targeted women, making them fear for their lives, will likely spend the rest of his teen years in detention.

The child, who we will call ‘FJ’, was enjoying life as a criminal in late 2023, completely unsupervised by adults, surrounded by a friendship group notorious for being ‘pro-crime’, using cannabis and meth, and bragging about how proud he was of his crimes, a court heard.

These crimes included taking a replica gun into a Burdell house late at night and firing it at a woman who confronted him, ramming a woman’s parked car in West End because she was filming him, and ramming a LandCruiser several times on the roads near Stocklands Shopping Centre.

The driver of the LandCruiser - another woman - tried to evade him but was rammed several times, and eventually parked near a school and tried to call police.

While parked the stolen car FJ was inside rammed her driver’s door, shattering the window, and FJ got out armed with a tool which he used to smash the glass completely, threatening the mum, the court heard.

Crown prosecutor Rana Aldas said FJ yelled at the woman: “we are from the C-Gang, don’t mess with us you f--king b--ch.”

“She’s accelerated away, having called police, but they followed her and the chase was continued. They pursued her. She stopped again and they rammed the back of her vehicle once more,” Aldas said.

“The woman feared for her life.”

The prolonged attack only stopped when residents emerged from their homes to investigate the noise.

FJ was out on probation at the time.

CCTV of youths in a stolen Ford Everest ramming a mum's Landcruiser in Vincent on December 7, 2023.

The court heard the woman’s LandCruiser was written off due to the damage inflicted by the stolen car, and she receive “minimal money” from the insurance.

Three days after the serious incident, FJ was arrested and sentenced to six months detention for breaking his probation - only to be granted release three months later, which police did not follow, instead keeping FJ in detention after he failed to get bail for his crime spree and ramming offences.

CCTV of youths who piled out of the stolen silver Ford Everest running along a Vincent street on December 7, 2024.

FJ has now spent all of 2024 so far in detention.

His criminal activities last year were so numerous and severe that on Tuesday, September 17, the now-16-year-old found himself standing before the Townsville Childrens Court pleading guilty to 73 charges.

Judge Brad Farr called the child a coward and “living in a fantasy land” where people cared about whatever a ‘C-Gang’ was.

“You did not at any stage, in any way, appear remorseful for your actions,” Mr Farr said.

“You bragged that you, in your opinion, was the leader of the group, not the follower.”

The court heard FJ first came before the courts when he was 14 years old.

The first judge gave him three months probation - FJ broke that - the second judge gave him six months probation - FJ broke that too - and the third judge sentenced the child to a good behaviour order - that was broken.

As the fourth judge in that line, Judge Farr made it clear FJ had exhausted the court’s goodwill.

“Your offending is getting worse,” Judge Farr said.

“That immediately demonstrates to me that what the courts have done has had no positive effect whatsoever.”

FJ pleaded guilty to the unlawful use of 22 different cars, breaking into 28 homes, entering via ramming two shops, stealing, property damage, burglary, going armed so as to cause fear, breaking in at night, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, threatening 10 different victims, and more.

“This is a criminal spree that would’ve caused the general public here in Townsville much concern and fear,” Judge Farr said.

He sentenced FJ to two years detention - to be released at the 70 per cent mark.

This is not FJ’s last court date; he still has charges in the pipeline to come before another judge, and they may push his release date out even further.

Defence lawyer Ross Malcomson admitted FJ’s future may involve a transfer to adult prison when he ages out of youth detention.

Judge Farr also took the extraordinary step of recording convictions against FJ, something rarely done for children, as any future employer undertaking police checks will be able to see the crimes.

FJ was not supported by any family in court.

Originally published as ‘We’re from the C-Gang’: Youth claims to be leader of crime spree