Geraldton boy, 12, bailed for ‘crimie’ tags and other graffiti allegations, on top of 28 other charges

A 12-year-old boy has been given a third chance on bail in two weeks after he was arrested for allegedly tagging gang crime slang on public infrastructure with blue spray paint while under curfew conditions. The boy appeared in Geraldton Children’s Court on Tuesday on new damage charges, after he was released on bail with a 24-hour curfew condition last week. Police prosecutor Sen. Const Thomas Potts told the court that on Sunday, August 4, the boy had left home and used a can of blue spray paint to graffiti retaining walls, fences, curbs, roads and a water tank in the Wandina area. Sen. Const Potts said the 12-year-old painted the word crimie — a slang word for a criminal gang member — sun city f.... and criminally insane, as well as his initials, full name and the Geraldton postcode 6530. An off-duty police officer identified the boy, the court heard. Sen. Const Potts said the following day the boy damaged a camera in the back seat of a police car when he was arrested. The boy did not enter pleas to four counts of damaging property by graffiti and criminal damage. Defence lawyer Eva Svanberg told the court it was accepted the boy was in breach of his curfew, but his new charges were a “de-escalation in terms of seriousness”. Sen. Const Potts opposed bail, stating the boy had been given a number of chances on bail but continued to reoffend. He is facing another 28 charges, including aggravated burglary and stealing vehicles. The court was told the boy spent two weeks in Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre for an alleged robbery in Rangeway involving an elderly woman being attacked with a pole. Magistrate Kelly Thompson released him to bail on a “very slim margin”, putting the decision down to his young age. She also noted the 12-year-old was living amid domestic violence in the home and finds himself breaching curfew when his step-father is around. He is due back in court on Tuesday, August 13.