Online gamer alerts police

THE quick-thinking of an online gamer helped Tasmania Police catch a pair of underage home invaders in the act.

The Supreme Court in Hobart heard that on June 18, a couple were in their Rokeby home playing video games with other gamers online when they heard a loud noise from another room.

They discovered the accused and his friend both armed with knifes in their lounge room. The other teen told the couple if they tried to contact the police, the pair would kill their dogs and burn their house down.

He continued to threaten the couple and the accused set about taking various items from their home including a PlayStation 3, Xbox, television, computer games and two mobile phones.

Meanwhile, the couple’s fellow gamer stayed online when they went to investigate the initial noise.

She heard shouting and threats being made and contacted police while also recording what she could hear through the internet connection.

Police arrived soon after while the two boys were still at the house and saw the accused escaping over the back fence. Police found both boys at a house nearby where they had been staying and arrested them.

The 16-year-old pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary.

The recording from the online gamer was used as evidence by the Crown.

The boy’s lawyer described the crime as opportunistic and told the court of his troubled upbringing which included violence and periods of homelessness. He said the boy had told him the knives were for their own protection and he would never have intentionally hurt anyone.

In sentencing, Chief Justice Alan Blow said the couple were still too upset to go back and sleep in their house.

He warned the youth about associating himself with the wrong crowd and the potential for things to have gone a lot worse.

“Think about what might have happened if the man had tried to disarm you or your mate — he might have been stabbed,” Chief Justice Blow said. “When there’s someone else involved, you never know where it’s going to end.

“You’ve got a lot of people wanting to help you [but] it’s all up to you now.”

Chief Justice Blow sentenced the boy to 12 months’ detention, wholly suspended provided he is of good behaviour for 18 months.