‘TALK BUT NO ACTION’
A JUDGE has criticised the Department of Youth Justice for being “talk and no action” after little tangible rehabilitation work was taken during a violent teen’s 15 months probation order.
The girl, 15, then breached her probation by stealing a mobile phone from another teen, threatening to stab her and punching her in the face.
Judge Catherine Muir was left frustrated by the lack of progress since the girl was convicted of the original offence.
A JUDGE has criticised the Department of Youth Justice for being “talk and no action” after little tangible rehabilitation work was taken during a violent teen’s 15-month probation order.
The girl, 15, then breached her probation by stealing a mobile phone from another teen, threatening to stab her and punching her in the face.
Judge Catherine Muir was left frustrated by the little progress that had been made more than 12 months after the girl was convicted of the original offence.
“It’s been all talk,” she told the Southport District Court yesterday. “Talk is cheap. There seems to be a lot of talk and no action.”
Judge Muir said it was one thing to say the girl wanted to go back to TAFE to finish Year 10 and then study hairdressing.
But she was frustrated when told the girl had not enrolled in any courses, simply spoken about it with her caseworker.
“I am not happy about what is before me for this young person. My concern is to understand what is happening when I place these people on probation. It’s the education and learning which is so important.”
The court was told the girl had an alcohol abuse problem but no programs or counselling had been arranged for her.
The revelations were made after the girl yesterday pleaded guilty in the Southport District
Court to robbery with violence and obstructing police.
Crown prosecutor Rana Aldas said the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was in Australia Fair on September 13 last year when she walked over to another girl known to her and tried to grab her phone from her hands.
Ms Aldas said she told her victim: “I’m going to stab you”.
The girl then punched the victim’s nose and took off with her phone. She later lied to police about having the phone and tried to break it on a desk.
The court was told the girl in April last year had been placed on probation for a similar violent incident.
Defence lawyer Jason Buckland, instructed by Bamberry Lawyers, said the girl had an alcohol problem but had not drunk since Christmas 2019.
Judge Muir sentenced her to two years’ probation and 100 hours community service within the next 12 months.
The girl asked if there were “other options” but was told the only other option was detention.