Geraldton teen given community service order after pleading guilty to vandalism and graffiti

A Geraldton teen has pleaded guilty to vandalising public property and causing damage.

The 13-year-old boy appeared in Geraldton’s Children’s Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to three charges of destruction of property and one count of stealing.

Police prosecutor Paul Burkinshaw told the court the boy and a co-accused spray painted “male genitalia” and their initials on the Northgate Shopping Centre, a shop front and two cars.

The boy and co-accused were stopped by police with cans of spray paint after making a nuisance in a BCF store and stealing $25 worth of spearfishing gear.

The boy’s lawyer told the court it was the co-accused’s idea and his client had just been going along.

“He is the oldest and quite bigger so he will be picked out,” she said.

“He will be the one they recognise.”

Magistrate Angus Hockton told the boy “graffiti and vandalism is a debt to the community”.

“You are not the instigator but you took part,” he said.

The boy was sentenced to four months of community service.