17-year-old girl narrowly avoids detention term after ‘thuggish, violent’ robbery on Geraldton foreshore

A teenage girl who robbed a woman after attending a Christian event on the Geraldton foreshore has narrowly avoided a term of detention after spending 101 days remanded at Banksia Hill. The 17-year-old girl appeared in Geraldton Children’s Court on Tuesday via video link from Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre for sentencing on aggravated robbery, attempted steal motor vehicle, stealing, aggravated home burglary and commit, damaging property and common assault. Police prosecutor Sen Const. Thomas Potts told the court the 17-year-old damaged fence panelling by kicking and headbutting it while walking the street about 9.30pm on December 24. Sen Const. Potts said when the resident came out and asked if the 17-year-old was OK, she was abused by the girl. In January, the girl and a co-offender broke into a home on Green Street in Spalding. The court heard they made multiple visits to the home, stealing $1700 worth of goods, including an Apple iPod, TV screen and assorted jewellery. The 17-year-old was seen on CCTV carrying the 50-inch TV on the street. About 7pm on Saturday, February 10, Sen. Const. Potts said a woman who had finished attending a Christian event at Stow Gardens was sitting alone on a bench when four girls approached her. The 17-year-old took hold of the victim’s lanyard containing keys to her business, home and car and dragged her with it while the victim struggled. Once the victim fell to the ground, she was kicked and punched and the keys were stolen. The court was told the 17-year-old searched for the victim’s vehicle by pressing the unlock button on the car key, but could not operate the car and ran away. The victim found her car running with the windows down. The court was also told while the 17-year-old was in detention in April, she spat on another detainee. Defence lawyer Brad Romano said the teenager had a poor upbringing in an unstable home and had used cannabis since she was 10. He said she saw domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse almost her entire life. Mr Romano said the 17-year-old was depressed and wanted to return to school. But Magistrate Matthew Walton noted the pre-sentence report stated the girl had taken up a TAFE course to leave school. “(She is) very rarely happy in her home life and since being remanded in custody lives in fear of being attacked,” Mr Romano said. Mr Walton said the girl had a “significant” robbery record but took into account her 101 days on remand. He said he had watched the shocking CCTV footage of the 17-year-old assaulting the victim at Stow Gardens. “The facts are stark, thuggish, violent,” he said. “The behaviour that I saw on that CCTV … was disgusting behaviour. It involved dragging and punching and kicking a woman while she was on the ground.” Mr Walton said it was “outrageous” the 17-year-old had been using cannabis since she was 10. “It can manifest mental health issues and exacerbate underlying mental health issues, especially in a young person,” he said. The teen, who turns 18 later this year, received a period of suspended detention and must complete a five-month juvenile conditional release order.