The Gold Coast Bulletin

Rein in teen felons: LNP

- SALLY COATES sally.coates@news.com.au

A TEEN crime rampage at the weekend has the State Opposition blowing up about lack of police resources and weak sentencing, including no punishment for juvenile bail breaches.

LNP deputy leader Tim Mander yesterday accused the Palaszczuk Government of being too soft on juvenile offenders and as a result the Gold Coast community was suffering.

“More police and tougher sentencing laws are desperatel­y needed to bring skyrocketi­ng youth crime on the Gold Coast under control,” Mr Mander said.

“You only have to look at the horror weekend of property theft and violence to see youth crime on the Gold Coast is out of control.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk and Labor are soft on crime and it’s putting community safety on the Gold Coast at risk.”

On Monday, Detective Inspector Marc Hogan said the juveniles allegedly responsibl­e for breaking into more than 20 vehicles, stealing at least two cars and stabbing a Surfers Paradise man in the throat and body were known to police.

Mr Mander said if punishment for offenders was stricter and police numbers had not taken a hit, juveniles would be less likely to offend or reoffend.

“Labor’s soft-on-crime laws mean youth offenders on bail can no longer be charged with breaching bail conditions,” he said.

“This means there’s absolutely no incentive for youth to comply with their bail conditions, leading to more youth offenders roaming the streets on bail committing more crimes.

“Repeat juvenile offenders should not be out on the streets. They need to be in detention until they are able to prove their rehabilita­tion.

“Our hard-working police do an incredible job but they are overstretc­hed and struggling to keep up with the rising crime numbers. There’s only so much they can do with the limited resources.”

A spokesman for the Premier’s office said the Government approach had been focused on early interventi­on and education rather than punishment.

“The Palaszczuk Government has embarked on significan­t youth justice reforms based on early interventi­on,” the spokesman said.

“Former police commission­er Bob Atkinson’s report on the Queensland youth justice system made 77 recommenda­tions to overhaul the way Queensland deals with young offenders and engages with troubled and disengaged young people who are at risk of becoming offenders.”

Four teens have been arrested and charged after a crime spree through Bundall, Benowa, Surfers Paradise, Varsity Lakes, Tugun and Tweed during Sunday night and Monday morning.

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