Western Sydney police forced to lock up 12-year-old boy
A 12-year-old boy is finally behind bars after being bailed 70 times over a series of alleged offences.
The western Sydney boy has been charged 73 times with more than 200 offences, including armed robbery, assault, burglary, dishonestly obtaining financial advantage, trespass, property damage and carrying a knife in a public place.
It is alleged the boy committed major crime in more than a dozen suburbs around Sydney over a 15-month period.
He is alleged to have committed crimes in Mount Druitt, in the city’s west, West Pymble on the north coast, Parramatta and Bondi Junction in the east, Seven News reported.
The boy from Sydney’s west has been charged 73 times for more than 200 offences
It is understood the boy’s alleged victims were often young and vulnerable, with police fearing he could be one of the state’s most violent alleged young offenders.
While the 12-year-old was released on bail 70 times by the children’s court, he is alleged to have breached his bail conditions 136 times.
His last court appearance was at Surry Hills Children’s Court on Wednesday, where the boy applied for bail on charges of armed robbery and car theft.
Magistrate Richard Funston refused to let the boy out of custody for another day, telling his lawyer: “You have your work cut out for you if you seriously think he will get bail today.”
The boy’s mother died when he was just 8, and the child did not meet his biological father until December. His father had also been in prison.
The boy lived with a caregiver who declined to comment outside court.
The 12-year-old was denied bail Wednesday on charges of armed robbery and car theft