12-year-old admits aggravated robbery

A 12-year-old boy who evaded Oranga Tamariki care and was found roaming the streets with a hunting knife has admitted his part in the aggravated robbery of a bottle store.

The boy appeared in the Youth Court at Hastings yesterday and admitted his part in the aggravated robbery of Big Barrel, in Hastings, on September 3.

A male shopkeeper was stabbed numerous times and was lucky to survive what police described as a ‘‘callous and vicious attack’’.

The boy’s lawyer, Don Kennedy, told Judge Bridget Mackintosh the boy had hoped to be granted bail.

Lawyer for Oranga Tamariki Rebekah Anderton said the ministry had received advice from a psychiatrist who had concerns about granting bail, and said the boy had been in secured care following an incident last Friday.

Judge Mackintosh told the boy it was ‘‘very important that any bail situation is safe for everybody and that it did not put anyone at risk, including you’’.

She remanded the matter for two weeks. The boy would remain in secured care.

The boy was the youngest of four people charged in relation to the aggravated robbery.

He had been placed into the custody of Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children after his first court appearance on September 6. When he appeared in the Youth Court on September 20, Judge Peter Callinicos was shocked to discover the boy had been found roaming the streets with a hunting knife while in the custody of Oranga Tamariki.

Judge Callinicos heard the boy had been placed in a Hastings motel with a paid minder engaged by the ministry. The judge was told young people in this sort of arrangement could leave the motel as they pleased. The boy, who was on a 24-hour curfew, had absconded on three occasions.