Three teenagers charged with the violent abduction of a schoolboy in Glen Huntly, Melbourne on Sept. 4, which left the 14-year-old victim with brain damage, have all been granted bail.
Among the individuals is a 15-year-old boy, whose identity remains concealed for legal reasons, charged with the abduction of the schoolboy.
The individual also faced 25 charges relating to a crime spree that unfolded in September, along with two companions, which involved the commandeering of a stolen Volkswagen Tiguan, as well as threatening students outside a school with machetes.
The Sept. 4 incident saw the 14-year-old schoolboy forced into a vehicle on Neerim Road in Glen Huntly. Shortly thereafter, the teenager was ejected from the moving vehicle near the Grange Road intersection where it is alleged he was run over by it.
The 14-year-old victim could be in hospital for up to seven weeks, and has an undetermined amount of brain damage.
Additionally, the extent of his injuries means he may never return to a normal school and will require hearing aids.
In addition to this crime, the 15-year-old also faced five new offences, three of which were allegedly related to the robbery of a 13-year-old girl.
The juvenile is accused of luring the girl to a house in Cranbourne where other teens brutally assaulted, punched, and yanked her hair while demanding she hand over her possessions.
The magistrate granted the 15-year-old bail on Oct. 5 to live with his sister under tight terms, including that he observe a curfew and avoid interacting with his co-accused.
The judge remarked that the 15-year-old was a young person with an intellectual handicap who was vulnerable and that he was living with his mother in a stolen BMW when police apprehended him on Sept. 9.
Victorian Government Was Preparing to Change Bail Laws
On Oct. 4, Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes was successful in getting rules passed by the upper house that made it simpler for low-level offenders to receive bail, partially rolling back the stronger regulations that the Andrews government enacted in 2018.The rules now need to be passed by the lower house, which is expected to occur but was paused at the last minute due to a spike in youth crime.
Bail laws were tightened in 2017 following the Bourke Street Massacre of 2017 committed by James Gargasoulas while he was out on bail.
Youth Crime Slows Changes
The Victorian government’s last-minute reversal on bail reform for children is primarily influenced by the perceived crisis in youth crime.Attorney-General Symes has officially announced the separation of the presumption of bail for children from the broader legislation.
Instead, it will be incorporated into a distinct youth justice bill scheduled for early next year. This bill will also address the proposal to increase the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12.
As a result of this delay, the criteria for granting bail will remain identical for both children and adults, although adjustments specific to children are still under revision.
Victorian Youth Crime Spike
Young Victorians are committing an increasing number of violent and serious offences, according to state crime figures released in early October.There was a 26 percent rise in crimes committed by juveniles between the ages of 14 and 17 in the year leading up to June 2023, which included more than 3,750 assaults and 1,495 car thefts.
Over the same time, there were more incidents of child abuse and child endangerment than ever before, with Victorians under the age of 18 reporting 11,461 crimes against people, up from 10,451 the year before.
The number of such offences committed against minors is at its greatest level in at least 10 years.
