He pleaded guilty in a Children’s Court to two counts of armed robbery, lighting a fire in the open air, endangering the property of others, and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
In the first part of the plea hearing on October 29, the court heard he was involved in two similar incidents with co-accused at the former Mooroopna Secondary College on August 29 and October 6.
During both incidents which were filmed, the boy threatened a 14-year-old and 16-year-old with a knife before they were stripped, robbed and assaulted.
He later lit a fire outside the 16-year-old’s home.
In another filmed attack, he also assaulted a 14-year-old boy on August 14.
In the early hours of September 1, he broke into and stole from a Mooroopna massage parlour with a co-accused, threatening two employees with knives.
This was after they stole items from Mooroopna Woolworths, threatening security guards and another man – who they got in an on-foot chase with outside – with a knife.
The boy’s defence counsel asked a magistrate to place him on intensive bail before he next faced court for a group conference and sentencing in January 2026 to show he was able to progress his rehabilitation, engage with Youth Justice and not commit further offences.
He said there was a mental health plan in place for the boy and he would re-engage in school.
The magistrate said before placing him on bail she wanted to make sure there were supports in place that would take immediate effect because he was “vulnerable to reoffending”.
“I do not want another victim ... where someone’s been terrorised and traumatised,” she said.
In granting his bail, the magistrate noted his plea of guilty, age, health concerns, stable accommodation and supports, and time on remand being likely to exceed his final sentence.
His bail conditions include he doesn't carry weapons, not associate with his co-accused, go to school, engage with NDIS, abide by a curfew, and take part in the group conferencing process.
23°C