Teen burglar given one last chance by court

FINGERPRINTS left at the scene of a Toowoomba burglary had fingered a teenager for the crime.

The home owner had been away in Sydney during the Christmas break when neighbours noticed her East Toowoomba home had been broken into, the Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Police investigations found the home had been broken into about December 27 and a television set, laptop computer and various jewellery had been stolen, police prosecutor Christie Mahoney told the court.

Fingerprints inside the house led police to 18-year-old Keith David Boyle who was eventually found by police at the weekend and taken into custody, Senior Constable Mahoney said.

Having spent four days in custody, the teenager appeared in court to plead guilty to the burglary.

Boyle was subject to parole and a probation order at the time of the offence, the court heard.

His solicitor Shane MacDonald told the court his client was 17 at the time of the offence and had since turned 18 earlier this month.

His client had endured a difficult upbringing and had been subjected to homelessness at a young age and had stolen to survive, he said.

His client had also used illicit drugs from an early age, he submitted.

Mr MacDonald asked the court to give his client one more chance of a probation order to help him.

Noting the teenager’s compliance with the probation order had been poor, Acting Magistrate Roger Stark warned him he faced time in jail if he didn’t obey court orders.

“You don’t want to be spending time in an adult prison at your age,” Mr Stark told the prisoner.

Telling Boyle he would give him a second and last chance to comply with court orders, Mr Stark placed the teenager on 12 months probation.