South West magistrate voices concern over juvenile robberies and assaults after teen released from custody

A South West magistrate has voiced concerns over the prevalence of juveniles shoplifting and later setting themselves upon workers who confront them after a Bunbury teenager was released on a supervision order. The 14-year-old, who cannot be named, was placed on a six-month intensive youth supervision order with program and supervision requirements after pleading guilty to a range of offences including aggravated robbery, assault, carrying an article to cause fear, criminal damage and giving false details to police. The court was told of a number of incidents that took place in various locations between November last year and April this year. In one incident, the teenager left the Bunbury Courthouse with his grandmother in November last year but became verbally abusive towards her when they got into her car before damaging the sun-visor and glove-box, prompting his grandmother to immediately drive him to the Bunbury Police Station. In another incident, the teenager went to BWS at Eaton Fair Shopping Centre with three others and stole a carton of beer. When a store worker followed them and tried to retrieve the beer, the teenager assaulted the worker until members of the public intervened. The teenager had also previously been banned from entering the grounds of Eaton Fair Shopping Centre. The court was also told of another incident where he was riding scooters with some friends within the same shopping centre in March when another teenager made comment about them. The boy followed the victim and set upon him, punching and kicking him in the head multiple times until he was pulled away by one of his friends. The victim was later taken to hospital where it was found he suffered a number of injuries including cracking in one of his cheekbones and soreness to his jaw. In submissions, the court was told the teenager had no prior criminal history and had spent 50 days remanded in custody at Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre. The teenager’s defence counsel Shona Paton said her client also acknowledged he had anger management issues. However, Magistrate Benjamin Tyers expressed concern about the perceived prevalence of juveniles shoplifting and assaulting workers that are doing their job and trying to prevent shoplifting. “It seems to be happening a lot,” he said. Mr Tyers also warned the teenager that his life could have been ruined if the assault victim had suffered more serious injuries or died, referring to boxer Danny Green’s extensive campaigns against coward punches. “If you want to fight, go to the gym, grab some boxing gear and go nuts,” he said. “Coward punching in a shopping centre, it’s not manly, it’s not strong, it’s just stupid.” Along with the intensive youth supervision order, the teenager received no further punishment for his other offences, to account for his time spent in custody and lack of prior criminal history.