Girl, 13, looked up punishment for running someone over after hitting cyclist in stolen car, court hears | Melbourne
A 13-year-old boy accused of a string of offenses, including allegedly driving a stolen car into members of the Jewish community, is investigating the punishment for hitting someone after hitting a cyclist, a court has heard.
The 13-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared in a juvenile court in Victoria on Monday seeking bail.
He faces 109 charges, including reckless conduct endangering serious injury, burglary, motor vehicle theft and burglary.
In one incident on March 30, the girl allegedly got behind the wheel of a stolen car in Brighton, south-east of Melbourne, and tried to hit a cyclist using the car’s passenger door.
An argument broke out between the cyclist and the occupants of the vehicle before the bike allegedly hit the 45-year-old man, knocking him to the ground.
Police examined the girl’s phone and found some “disturbing” content, including videos.
“Shortly after that incident – within three minutes – he Googled what the penalty was for running someone over,” Det Sen Const Jarryd Gray told the court on Monday.
“It’s quite disturbing… we realized this was premeditated.”
The detective said the girl grew up with notoriety and invested in the number of stories and likes on social media about the alleged crime.
“He thinks this gives him status in his group, which is really worrying,” he said.
The court heard about other alleged incidents targeting Jewish people, including antisemitic slurs being shouted at pedestrians in Hampton, Ripponlea and Caulfield, and a drive off the road towards a Jewish family in Ripponlea, causing them to flee in March.
“There was an internet search for ‘Where do Jews live’,” Det Gray told the court.
“This tells us that he is being targeted. He is doing his best to target a specific community.”
The prosecutor said the teenager’s crimes reached the point where he allegedly committed an average of 1.45 crimes per day over 74 days.
“This has culminated in the current culmination of a 13-year-old boy not only repeatedly getting behind the wheel of a stolen car, but also weaponizing them at the risk of road users,” he said.
“He stated that nothing could stop him from committing crimes.”
Arguing for her release on bail, the girl’s defense lawyer said youth justice had agreed to supervise her and alert authorities if she breached conditions.
He said his client had expressed a desire to return to school and could do so after the school holidays were over.
In refusing to grant the girl bail, the judge said that was the only conclusion he could reach because “the risk to society is so great”.
The girl will appear in court again on May 4.
