Two boys from Mooroopna — aged 17 and 15 — a 16-year-old boy from Broadmeadows and a 15-year-old boy from Meadow Heights successfully applied for bail in a Children’s Court.
All four, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have been charged with theft of a vehicle, at least three counts of committing an indictable offence while on bail, two counts of aggravated burglary and two counts of theft.
The Meadow Heights boy, 15, who police allege was driving the vehicle, has also been charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury, driving in a dangerous manner, driving at a dangerous speed, driving in a dangerous manner while being pursued by police, drug driving and unlicensed driving.
A police officer told the court the Broadmeadows boy allegedly stole a Land Rover Discovery from a Bundoora house on March 30, before picking up the Meadow Heights boy and a girl in Melbourne and the two Mooroopna boys in Mooroopna.
At 8.30am the stolen vehicle was spotted by police driving fast in Mooroopna, the court heard.
Later it was followed by the police airwing as it sped along the Hume Fwy at Nagambie at about 170km/h, the officer said.
The court was told Seymour police attempted to stop it on the Hume Fwy but the vehicle sped up to almost 200km/h.
The airwing continued to follow and clocked it driving at more than 150km/h in roadworks zones, the officer said.
The boys were arrested after the vehicle ran out of fuel on the freeway near Seymour.
The officer opposed bail for all four saying they were all already on bail.
She said the 15-year-old Mooroopna boy was released on bail on March 21 for similar offending, with outstanding matters including a charge of dangerous driving while evading police.
The boy boasted to police “if he was driving, he (and the co-accused) wouldn’t have been caught”, the officer said.
When asked if he was concerned about the risk of death from such driving, he said “I don’t care, at least I would die doing something I love”, the officer said.
The 17-year-old Mooroopna boy was on two counts of bail, and the court was told one of those bails was for similar offending.
The court heard the Meadow Heights boy, who was allegedly driving the vehicle, was on six counts of bail at the time.
His bail was for charges that included nine separate counts of either theft of a vehicle or attempted theft of a vehicle, eight driving charges including dangerous driving while pursued by police and reckless driving, and 10 counts of committing an indictable offence while on bail.
His most recent release on bail was only six days earlier.
“(In the police interview) he laughed at the fact he will be in another stolen car if granted bail,” the officer said.
“We hold great concerns for the safety and welfare of the community given he’s expressed his intention to continue to steal vehicles and engage in police pursuits.”
The court heard that the boy had suffered significant trauma as a child, but that he would be contained somewhere safe for a week if bailed.
The Broadmeadows boy was on bail at the time and was subject to three probation orders.
The officer said the boy had told police he was associated with a gang that sold luxury cars, and they were concerned this was a motivator to steal cars.
Defence solicitors for all the boys argued their young ages and the fact they could work with Youth Justice were among the reasons they should be bailed, which the magistrate agreed with.
All four boys were bailed with conditions including that they obey Youth Justice directions, abide by a curfew, not associate with their co-accused and not drive.
The magistrate reiterated to each boy as she bailed them the risks that were involved in alleged offences including stolen cars and fast speeds.
“We’re lucky we didn’t end up with a car full of dead kids wrapped around a tree,” she said.
The boys will return to court in May.
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