One student allegedly saw Snapchat messages between the accused and another student where the accused said: “I wanna do some murder suicide shit. If I got a gun shit would be going down.”
When the other student responded that they did not want another family to be hurt, he allegedly responded: “Nah I wanna hurt this whole c— family … I’m considering buying a 9mm off the darknet but it’s hard to find a reputable seller.”
On June 12, police went to the teenager’s grandparents’ house in response to reports of threatening phone calls being made and allegedly found a 3D printer, speargun and flame-throwing device in his bedroom, as well as a Taser he was constructing on the printer. Police left the premises without seizing these items.
One week later, investigators from the Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command applied for and were granted a search warrant for the young person’s residence. During the raid, they found the same items, as well as a firearm and other parts printed from his 3D printer, a slingshot, a laser pointer and various electronic storage devices.
The teenager was arrested and had been in custody until he was granted bail in the Supreme Court last week.
He admitted to possessing a slingshot and a laser printer but is further charged with possessing a prohibited weapon, sending a threat to kill, two counts of intimidation, and possessing a digital blueprint for manufactured firearms.
The court heard the boy worked at a fast food restaurant and at his grandfather’s manufacturing company, where Crown prosecutor William Sit told the court there was access to police vehicles.
“In his business, the grandfather, as I understand, operates mechanics, and in fact one of the clientele is police,” Sit said as he asked for the court to ban him from working there to avoid “working on police vehicles”.
Sit further asked for a home detention order and a ban on Snapchat use, telling the court police had found the young person had made threats to students separately to his current charges.
Police had “very serious concerns” about the teenager returning to his grandparents’ home as the alleged offending “happened under their roof”, and videos on his phone of his grandmother drunk raised concerns about the suitability of the accommodation.
Children’s Legal Aid solicitor Dean Fernandez argued against a home detention order, saying his client’s mental health was being “better cared for now”, and there could be sufficient orders for him to be of good behaviour, abide by court orders and let police inspect his phone “whenever they want to”.
Justice Belinda Rigg, noting the “seriousness of the offences”, granted bail with strict conditions including home detention.
He must not leave his place of residence except when with his grandparents, must not work at their business, and not attend their place of employment.
He was ordered not to possess or attempt to possess any weapons or firearms and not possess any equipment capable of manufacturing weapons or firearms, such as 3D printers.
Other conditions included being of good behaviour, not entering the suburb of his school, not contacting any prosecution witnesses, and complying with a mental health plan.
He must not possess more than one mobile phone – the details of which he must give police – not use any encrypted device or application including WhatsApp, Wickr, Viber, KIK and Messenger, and “provide access to any internet-capable device” to police.
The teenager’s matter was briefly heard at Tweed Heads Children’s Court on Wednesday and was adjourned until September 17.
If you or anyone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 131 114, beyondblue on 1800 512 348, or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.
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