Strict rules for ‘knife-wielding’ student: court

A 13-year-old boy accused of threatening staff and students with a knife at his school, then stealing a cash register from a canteen at knifepoint has lost his bid to have his bail conditions relaxed.

The boy’s lawyer sought an amendment to her client’s “strict” bail conditions in Perth’s Children’s Court on Wednesday, which heard he had been ordered to stay at home unless he was accompanied by his parents or grandparents.

The boy is facing a string of charges, which include aggravated armed robbery, armed assault with intent to rob and assaulting a public officer for the incident which occurred at Shenton College on March 19.

His lawyer said the strict conditions had negatively affected the child’s mental health because he could not socialise with friends or attend the services he needed.

The state prosecutor revealed new allegations had been made about the boy from WA Police and the Department of Education, which were not before the court, but students and teachers had seen the accused at a train station near the school.

As part of the boy’s bail, he was ordered to keep at least 100m away from his former school, which meant the train station was in the excluded area.

The prosecutor told the court people who saw him at the train station had felt threatened by his presence.

The prosecutor opposed amending the bail conditions because of the serious nature of the charges and because there were allegations the boy had been at the train station and had made threats, which were being investigated.

Children’s Court President Hylton Quail said “all they need to do was look at him and be frightened”.

“He cannot be within 100m of Shenton College or the Shenton Park train station, full stop,” he said.

The boy was ordered to stay 100m away from the school and train station.

He can only leave his Nedlands home if he is accompanied by a parent or grandparent, or if he is going to a supervised recreational activity.

The boy is due back in court on May 29.