12-year-old Geraldton juvenile to remain in custody after pleading guilty to home burglary while on bail

A 12-year-old Geraldton boy will remain behind bars after he committed another home burglary while on bail over the weekend. The juvenile, who cannot be named because of his age, appeared via video link from Banksia Hill Detention Centre in Geraldton Children’s Court on Wednesday, charged with trespass and aggravated home burglary. The juvenile pleaded guilty to both charges, including a trespass charge dating back to January 4 in Beresford. The aggravated home burglary occurred on August 6 in Utakarra, with the 12-year-old stealing coasters and Coca-Cola to the value of $10. The juvenile, who had just been granted bail on Tuesday last week, was arrested on Sunday following the burglary. Lawyer Georgia Keysers told the court the boy had been engaging with youth justice and spent time with a MEEDAC support worker on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. They planned to attend Geraldton Senior Highschool on Friday for an intake meeting, but the support worker fell ill. She said he intended to play football on the weekend, but the game was cancelled. While there was also a plan to provide him with a phone to keep in contact with his workers which fell through. Ms Keysers said the boy was looking forward to his 13th birthday and was hoping for another chance. Outfling his application for bail, she said he could abide by a very strict 24-hour curfew and noted that it wasn’t alleged he breached his curfew. Police prosecutor Sgt Dean Solman told the court the boy entered the victim’s rear yard about 3:30 pm on August 6. The boy and other co-accused forced entry by smashing a window and once inside they rummaged through the house. Police attended as the burglary was ongoing, the co-accused fled on foot while the accused jumped out a side window of the residence and continued to flee on foot. Magistrate Angus Hockton said there had been a lot of effort to engage him in the community. He outlined the boy’s consistency in offending behaviour, whether alone or in company with others. Mr Hockton said the emotional damage and physical damage of having someone rummage through your house was high, despite the low financial value of the items. Taking these factors into consideration, bail was refused, and the boy has been remanded in custody until August 15.