The explosion of youth crime is going to be a key factor in the downfall of the Victorian government at the next election.
‘Get him off our streets’: Fury as 14yo who had ‘388 charges’ dropped due to his age is released on bail
The release of a 14-year-old who has had close to 400 charges dropped because of his age has sparked outrage, amid Victoria’s youth crime wave.
A teenager who has been “causing terror” has been released on bail again, despite having previously had close to 400 charges dropped because of his young age, sparking outrage over the state government’s handling of Victoria’s youth crime wave.
Speaking on 3AW on Friday morning, radio host Mark Allen slammed the government after a 14-year-old, who allegedly broke into a northern suburbs garage housing luxury cars, was granted bail by a children’s court magistrate.
He has had 388 struck off due to his age.
The magistrate told the teenager he was
“causing terror in the community” and the state should be “appalled” by his alleged offending,
before he was released on bail yet again.“You’re also destroying your own life because you can’t have any good future living this life,” the magistrate said.
The youth previously had his hundreds of charges struck out due to the doli incapax rule, which states a child under 14 should not be held criminally responsible unless it is proven that they knew their actions were morally wrong.
In a bail application on Thursday, police alleged the boy entered the home with two others and filmed the group walking around two luxury cars.
However, the teenager’s defence lawyer said it was “impossible to prove” the 14-year-old took the footage.
GPS tracking had allegedly pinged the teenager’s phone to the address during the time of the offending, the court heard.
CCTV footage also showed the boy allegedly leaving the property wearing the same clothes he was seen to be wearing in a selfie which was found on his phone.
“There is no doubt in my mind to say he did enter the house,” the magistrate said.
He is yet to plead on the new charges.
A court heard earlier this month the same teenager was involved in an incident in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs, whereby a group smashed into liquor and lotto stores.
After the group gained access to the store, the teenager, who has spent more than 100 days in youth detention, allegedly drove two stolen cars in a high-speed chase involving police helicopters.
The court heard on Thursday the teenager, was on a refugee visa, which would be cancelled if he were convicted.
He was released on bail to residential care ahead of his sentencing at a later date.
The magistrates wanted him to “try something different”.
Victoria’s youth crime wave
It comes as alarming new figures have shed light on child and youth crime in Victoria.
The concerning figures released by the Crime Statistics Agency, showed crimes committed by children aged 10 to 17 rose to their highest levels since 2010.
The data also found children are increasingly involved in more serious and violent offences, such as robberies, aggravated burglaries, and car thefts.
Children aged 10 to 13 years old were responsible for 84 aggravated burglaries across the state. Five years earlier they were only involved in 18.
35 per cent of child offenders are repeat offenders who commit two or more offences.
In a statement, Victoria Plice said targeting the state’s worst child and youth offenders was a “top priority”, with over 2,700 arrests made in the past year as part youth focused operations, Operation Alliance and Operation Trinity.
“Sustained efforts are also made to connect young offenders with appropriate support services to break their continued cycle of reoffending,” police said.
“For lower-level offenders, police are offering cautions when appropriate to limit their involvement in the youth justice system.”
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