Geraldton juvenile sentenced to five month order for Karloo house fire which caused $100,000 worth of damage

A Geraldton juvenile who set fire to a house in Karloo in April earlier this year causing $100,000 worth of damage has been handed a five month community-based order. The 15-year-old boy appeared in Geraldton Childrens Court on Tuesday charged with trespass, breach of duty over the fire and aggravated home burglary. Prosecutor Sergeant Beau Jones said on April 17 the boy and three other juveniles entered the unoccupied home on Abraham Street in Karloo. Once inside, the boy lit a small fire in the rear bedroom with the fire quickly spreading from the mattress to the curtains and into the roof. He attempted to contain the fire but was unable to and the group fled the property. Firefighters attended and took less than 15 minutes to extinguish the blaze, which destroyed a number of rooms and caused considerable damage. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services and police estimated the damage at $100,000. He made full admissions to starting the fire but claimed he did not intend to cause the damage. Magistrate Angus Hockton highlighted the seriousness of the charge and said it was fortunate “no one was hurt”. In relation to the home burglary charge, his lawyer outlined that the boy was not the primary offender. While Mr Hockton agreed, he said the fact that the juvenile continued to offend was concerning. “Be careful who you follow, you may end up following them to Banksia Hill or prison,” he said. The court was told the boy was engaging well in court conferencing, attending school regularly and doing everything required of him. Taking these factors into account, Mr Hockton sentenced the 15-year-old to a five month youth community-based order.