Kalgoorlie teenager accused of groping five women in grocery stores, exposing himself to cop in lock-up

A Kalgoorlie-Boulder teen who allegedly groped five separate women in grocery stores among other claimed indecent acts may be released on bail in a matter of weeks as a magistrate calls for a home detention report. The 17-year-old, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was charged with indecently assaulting five women on six separate occasions in Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s Coles and Woolworths on August 11. The teen is also charged with exposing himself to a female police officer in lock-up on the same day, urinating on the lock-up floor, and exposing himself to Leonora Coles Express staff a few months earlier. While the teen’s lawyer Leneva Polmear enlisted the help of disability support workers from Cam Can and one of Kalgoorlie’s youth bail homes in her bid for bail, the application was strongly opposed by prosecution. Ms Polmear argued if he was released on bail, the teen would have 24/7 care and would be at a low risk of reoffending. But police prosecutor Sen. Sgt Greg Pope told the court the proposed bail situation was the same as when the teenager allegedly reoffended in August. “These are significant serious incidents, all in a very short period of time,” he said. “There is a concern, at this level of offending behaviour, for the members of the public. “(This boy) is at a serious risk of reoffending if he’s released into the community “He was on 24-hour, seven-days-a-week supervision in the past and he’s reoffended whilst under that care, which is problematic in itself.” While the support workers told the court they had procedures in place if the teenager evaded their care again, one did concede that because of the boy’s solvent and alcohol abuse and disorganised thought processes, they could not guarantee he would not reoffend while on bail. After taking a break to think about her ruling, Magistrate Brie Ayling decided a home detention bail report should be investigated, given the boy had been in custody since August 12. “The concern I have is at present he’s not at level where I would be comfortable (releasing him on bail),” she said. “If we can facilitate home detention with the assistance of Cam Can, it will let (him) get used to the idea of being in a routine again ... and transition from custody into accommodation and remain there.”