‘Think! Don’t drink!’ teen told

A 15-YEAR-OLD lad who with another boy had broken into Harristown State High School late on Tuesday night had been very drunk, Toowoomba Children's Court has been told.

Having spent the night in the watch house, the teenager, who as a juvenile cannot be identified, appeared in court to plead guilty to the break-in of the school.

“Have you sobered up?” was the first question Magistrate Kay Ryan had for the juvenile.

“Yes,” he replied, “I’m sorry.”

“You’re always sorry afterwards,” Ms Ryan told him.

Police prosecutor Nikola Prince told the court the 15year-old and his co-offender had entered the school grounds about 10pm on Tuesday.

After walking around for a while, the pair had gone to the school’s canteen and used metal objects to jimmy the canteen’s roller door open enough to get inside.

The pair had stolen drinks and ice creams, Ms Prince told the court.

However, a security guard had come across the break-in while the two were inside the canteen and called police.

The pair was detained until police arrived and they were then taken to the police station.

The teenager, who had three pages of criminal history, had been before the same court just last Friday, and by going to the school at night he was in breach of his curfew, the court heard.

A Department of Youth Justice officer told the court the 15-year-old was subject to two orders including a 100hour community service order of which he had completed just over 30 hours.

The lad’s current probation order was due to expire in July, the court heard.

His solicitor Kyna Morice told the court her client had been drinking alcohol with a friend and was intoxicated when it was decided to go to the school.

Her client realised he had a problem with alcohol and that when he drank he couldn’t stop and then did stupid things, she said.

The teenager hadn’t attended school in about 18 months, but he was now interested in doing some skills-based training in order to get a job.

Ms Morice said that her client’s mother, who was in court supporting him, said her son had been otherwise doing well and that he had complied with his community-based orders fairly well.

Ms Morice submitted another period of probation that included skills training and alcohol education as penalty.

“Hopefully, he can get help to stop drinking,” she said.

Ms Ryan noted the lad would be turning 16 in July and warned him to stop committing offences.

“Think! Don’t drink!” Ms Ryan told the boy sternly.

Taking into account the teenager’s early pleas of guilty and that he had spent a night in the watch house, Ms Ryan placed the boy on nine months probation to include drug and alcohol counselling as directed and ordered the conviction not be recorded.

peter.hardwick@thechronicle.com.au