16-year-old avoids jail after admitting he took meth and stole guns from Moresby property with adult cousins

A Geraldton teenager who helped his adult cousins steal six firearms from a shed in Moresby has avoided an immediate term of detention, after the magistrate heard he took meth after escaping from a family violence incident between his parents. Between the late hours of Friday, August 30 and the early hours of that Sunday morning, the 16-year-old broke into a shed at a property in Moresby with adult relatives and stole six firearms from a safe, including a double-barrel shotgun and five rifles, described by police as one .22 calibre, two .303 and two .223 bolt action repeater rifles, as well as ammunition. Police prosecutor Sen. Const. Thomas Potts previously told the court forensic results identified the teen by a fingerprint on the safe. One of the firearms, a .223 bolt action repeater rifle, was located in bushland near Mullewa. The other firearms are still somewhere in the community. The 16-year-old was also involved in a high-speed police chase after he was caught riding a stolen red 450CC motorcycle with a 12-year-old passenger, who was not wearing protective equipment. He rode at more than double the speed limit on residential roads and throughout the sand dunes near Chapman River, before he rode the bike into the river. The 16-year-old boy pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, stealing a firearm, steal motor vehicle, fail to stop and reckless driving to escape pursuit. In Geraldton Children’s Court on Tuesday, defence counsel Bradley Romero told the court the 16-year-old had co-operated with detectives and provided names of the adult co-accused, who were his cousins, and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. “He’s remorseful, evident by his conduct ... he tried to do the right thing and helped police with their investigation,” he said. Mr Romero said the 16-year-old had “traumatic exposure” to violence and left his home to escape a family violence incident. He said the teenager consumed methamphetamine given to him by a family member to deal with the stress of the situation. The teenager went to his cousins’ house and then went out with them because he “didn’t feel safe staying home alone”, Mr Romero said. Police prosecutor Sgt Ross Gray sought an immediate term of detention, saying the teenager had reoffended on bail and failed to comply with previous court orders. “There is obvious safety issues for the community, not just here but in Perth,” he said, explaining firearms could be moved quickly. “Thankfully no one was injured in this circumstance but they quite easily could have.” Magistrate Matthew Walton said he was tired of seeing youth break the law because of poor parental guidance and a lack of care needed for a child to develop and thrive. “People electing to have a child and bringing them up in an environment like this … they are largely responsible and shifting the responsibility on to someone else is unacceptable,” he said. “Not to undermine intergenerational trauma ... but it needs to be stated.” Mr Walton said meth had a “disastrous effect on people’s lives” and warned the teen he was headed down a dangerous path. “If you’re stupid enough to think methylamphetamine is going to be a benefit or a comfort to you in any way, you’re wrong,” he said. “Five firearms left in the community cannot be stressed more about how potentially dangerous that is ... it poses a continued risk to innocent members of the community.” The boy was sentenced to a six month and 21 day conditional release order with supervision and program requirements. Geraldton detectives continue to investigate the gun theft.