Teen pays dearly for CBD visit

TRYING to sneak past a police banning order was becoming too much of a habit for Toowoomba teenager Yol Simon Mayuot Mareng, the city’s Magistrates Court has been told.

For the fourth time this year, the 19-year-old had been caught within the Toowoomba Safe Night Precinct after being handed a police banning notice prohibiting him from being in the CBD at night.

Police prosecutor Cameron Francis told the court Mareng had been served with a banning notice by police on May 31, prohibiting him from being within the Safe Night Precinct bordered by West, James, Hume and Campbell Streets at night until August 22.

However, police were called to the Society Nightclub in Russell St in the city about 11.45pm, July 31, after the teenager had tried to enter the nightclub but was denied entry, Mr Francis said.

He voluntarily attended the police station four days later, telling officers he thought the banning order finished on August 1, he said.

Mareng pleaded guilty to contravening a police banning notice.

His solicitor Alisha Jacobsen, of Bouchier Khan Lawyers, told the court when her client was denied entry to the nightclub he had gone straight home.

The teenager was working and completing a Certificate 1 in construction, she said.

Ms Jacobsen said it was conceded her client had previous for such offending but asked that he be given one last chance to have no conviction recorded.

Magistrate Graham Lee warned Mareng he was running out of chances and said the offence brought a maximum penalty of 60 penalty units (about $8271).

Mr Lee ordered the conviction not be recorded and fined Mareng $800.