Weston Creek skatepark stabber back behind bars over alleged home invasion

A teen who stabbed a boy at the Weston Creek skatepark has been refused bail over an alleged home invasion. Photo: Michelle Kroll.

The teenager acquitted of murder at the Weston Creek skatepark is back behind bars after he was refused bail over an alleged home invasion.

The 17-year-old is accused of breaking a window to get inside a home at about 7 pm on Sunday (11 September). He allegedly assaulted a woman who lived there, stole a jacket, damaged a television, then kicked one of the resident’s cars as he left.

On Tuesday (13 September), the ACT Children’s Court also heard allegations that he punched another boy in the face at a Club Lime on 18 August, but charges are yet to be laid over this alleged incident.

The teenager faced an ACT Supreme Court trial earlier this year in which a jury found him not guilty of murdering an 18-year-old man during a fight at the skatepark on 27 September 2020 when he was just 15 years old.

However, he pleaded guilty to stabbing a 16-year-old boy in the back during the brawl. He was handed a suspended sentence and a two-year good behaviour order (GBO) over a charge of recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Later in August, he was sentenced in the Children’s Court to another GBO after he used a brick to threaten to injure a person at school.

He did not enter pleas to charges of assault, burglary, theft and damaging property over Sunday’s allegations, and duty lawyer Anna Theodore applied for him to be released on bail.

She said the teen had spent a significant amount of time in the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre and would be the first to say his re-entry into the community had been difficult.

But he wanted a job and was taking steps to try and re-establish himself, Ms Theordore said.

She also said no charge had been laid over the alleged incident at the Club Lime so argued Magistrate Jane Campbell could place little weight on it.

Prosecutor Andrew Chatterton opposed bail, noting there appeared to be a pattern of violence in his previous convictions.

Magistrate Campbell said along with his history of violent offences, she was also concerned by how he had recently been sentenced to two GBOs, the last only being handed to him about two weeks ago.

She said she had no confidence he would comply with bail conditions and refused bail, remanding him in custody for his matter to next be heard in October.