Teenager, 17, involved in armed Wandina attack on ex-police officer sentenced to 10-months detention

A 17-year-old boy who admitted his role in an armed attack on a man outside his home in Wandina has been sentenced to 10 months detention. On Sunday, March 17 about 3am, police allege former police officer Adrian Barker was attacked near his Wandina home, after a group attempted to break into his house. The court was told Mr Barker attempted to chase down the group before getting into a wrestle with one of the people in the group of at least seven. It was there the 17-year-old grabbed the “battle hatchet” — a weapon with an axe on one side and a hammer on the other — and struck the victim in the head and on his body, before other co-accused allegedly began kicking the victim. The court was told the group dispersed when neighbours came outside after hearing the commotion from the incident. Appearing before Geraldton Children’s Court via video link from Banksia Hill, the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was handed his sentence from magistrate Kelly Thompson. Police prosecutor Sgt Ross Gray argued the nature of the offence, along with the 17-year-old being out on a supervised release order at the time of the incident, led police to believe imprisonment was the preferred option. Defence lawyer Eva Svanberg argued for a lesser sentence, given the teenager’s strong relationship with his mother and his good behaviour while at Banksia Hill. She said in court the teenager said he only struck him to get the man off of his friend, saying he “didn’t want to do anything stupid”. The court was told the results from a psychological report indicated the offender showed symptoms of depression, stress, as well as a possible attentional condition. Ms Thompson took the factors into consideration when delivering the sentence, as well as the teenager’s upbringing. She told the court, which included the 17-year-old’s mother, the victim suffered serious lacerations and bruising to his body, and that the teenager had “used a very serious weapon, and it’s fortunate (the victim’s) injuries aren’t more serious”. During sentencing, Ms Thompson told the court she believed there was “a high degree of remorse” from the offender, but said the teenager needed to make positive choices. The 17-year-old was sentenced to 10 months detention for doing an act causing bodily harm, and three months detention for an attempted home burglary to be served concurrently. The teenager will be eligible for a supervised release order after five months from when his sentence starts in June, after he serves the remaining part of a previous charge.