Former AFL WAG Bec Judd has unleashed another scathing attack on Victoria’s youth crime laws after a teenager accused of killing a motorcyclist by running a red light in an allegedly stolen car was allowed to walk free again despite breaching multiple bail conditions.
The 17-year-old teenager accused of culpable driving and dangerous driving that caused the death of 19-year-old Davide Pollina in the Melbourne suburb of Preston in August was granted bail again last week despite a string of charges after he allegedly was caught behind again. the wheel.
Police allege the unlicensed driver was stopped while driving his girlfriend’s car near Reservoir in the early hours of November 12.
He is said to have given police a false name before they found a machete and cannabis in the vehicle.
The teenager was also banned from driving and is alleged to have breached the 10pm to 6am curfew which was part of his bail conditions. Herald Sun reported.
Despite multiple bail breaches, the teenager was again released on bail on Thursday by a magistrate at the Children’s Court despite strong police opposition.
Judd, who has become a frequent critic of Victoria’s out-of-control youth crime, took time out from her family Christmas holiday in Japan on Sunday to express her outrage that the teenager had been granted bail.
“Does anyone else feel like we live in a completely lawless state?” Judd captioned a screenshot of the article.
Former AFL WAG turned anti-crime crusader Bec Judd has become a frequent critic of Victoria’s spiraling youth crime
Bec Judd intervened after the teenager accused of murdering a young motorcyclist was released on bail again on Thursday
The teen’s attorney told the court during Thursday’s hearing that his client drove his three friends to a 7-Eleven to “get a drink.”
The attorney did not explain why a machete was in the vehicle.
Despite the teenager also not responding to police attacks at his home during his nightly curfew, the court granted him bail again.
It was the second attempt to detain the boy since September, with police claiming he was skipping school.
During last week’s hearing, the prosecutor argued that the boy posed a danger to the public due to his continued driving without a license and lack of parental supervision.
The teenager was originally granted bail in August after claiming he drove a stolen BMW into Mr Pollina, who was riding his bike home.
A motorcyclist was killed in the northeast Melbourne suburb of Preston on August 11 after a 17-year-old allegedly driving a stolen BMW ran a red light and then fled the scene.
Davide Pollina was the 19-year-old motorcyclist allegedly killed by the 17-year-old in an allegedly stolen BMW
The driver and a passenger are said to have fled the scene before police, who were following the BMW, administered CPR to Mr Pollina.
After the Children’s Court originally granted the alleged driver bail in August, the Pollina family told Nine News they were disappointed amid fears the teenager would reoffend.
Police allege the 17-year-old was one of three teenagers, the others were 16, who stole a BMW and a Mazda from a house in Pascoe Vale South before the collision.
All three people involved in the alleged theft of two cars have now been released on bail.
Figures released this week show youth crime in Victoria has risen to its highest level since 2009.
More than half a million (578,762) offenses were recorded in the twelve months to September, an increase of 13.4 percent.
In August, the Victorian Parliament voted to strengthen bail laws for young offenders.
However, the amended legislation still increased the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 years.
Under former Prime Minister Daniel Andrews, the government pledged in 2023 to raise the age to 14 by 2027, with exceptions for serious crimes such as murder and terrorism.
But following a series of high-profile incidents involving youth offenders, including two fatal car crashes in the past two months, Prime Minister Jacinta Allan said the sentence would remain at 12 years.