Teen, 13, bashed, stabbed in park

JUST over a month after Jack Beasley was stabbed to death in Surfers Paradise, another teen has been stabbed and viciously beaten in a park.

Investigations indicate two groups of teens were involved in an argument at the Robina Town Centre on Thursday.

They organised to sort it out in a nearby park where, about 5.30pm, a 13-year-old boy and three of his friends met the other group.

A fight broke out and a knife was pulled by a member of the other group, who slashed the 13year-old when he tried to deflect the blade.

Police say the boy dropped to the ground and was kicked and punched by the offender and another male before they ran away.

Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said it appeared it was not a random attack.

“Our preliminary inquiries indicate there was an arranged interaction between the teens,” he said.

“This wasn’t a random attack and what it does show is how dangerous it is for anyone to be carrying a knife in the thought that this is going to be self defence.

“A fist fight has incredible dangers in it. One punch can kill, we all know that. But with a knife there isn’t much margin for error, it can be millimetres between a nick and a fatality.

“To think we have teenagers carrying a bladed weapon – as a parent, I think it’s terrible.”

He said ideas of masculinity and not wanting to back down as a teen played a part in such incidents.

“This isn’t just the Gold Coast, this aspect of toxic masculinity in that I can’t back down, I must fight, I must be seen to be heroic, I must be seen to be macho ...

“It’s toxic not only towards females when we get into the domestic violence, but when you get a group of teenagers, testosterone running and no one wants to back down, unfortunately someone can lose their life or be seriously injured.

“It’s a real societal challenge.” Supt Wheeler said youth crime was not out of control, but a small percentage of teens would reoffend.

“Eighty-five per cent of people that we caution, we don’t ever see them again. It’s a very small portion that have been wired in a way that they’re prepared to commit offences no matter what,” he said.

“There’s a small group that you can still save and change their behaviour.

“There is absolutely an element that, unfortunately, the only thing you can do is put them in detention. There is a cohort where they are now a danger to society, they’re a danger to themselves and we have no other option.”

Anyone with information about the Robina incident should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.