“He’s a very intelligent boy who got high grades, and so when he saw that he just passed the subjects due to being in hospital, and unable to do the schoolwork, [it] got him very upset.
“He’s still having many medical issues that needed attention and this is ongoing. [His] vision is affected and no one can tell me how bad it will remain … [he] continues to wear an eye patch over one eye every day to strengthen his eyes.”
‘To this day, I’m still in shock about what happened to me, and I can’t believe what those young people do to them without giving any thought to the consequences.’
The victim’s mother
She told the court that the attack had left her anxious about her son’s independence because she continually feared something would happen to him.
“Every time [he] leaves the house or is away from me, I feel the heart pain [sic], and I’m so scared that something will happen, and I can never rest or relax, and my health has been affected.
“To this day, I’m still in shock about what happened to me, and I can’t believe what those young people do to them without giving any thought to the consequences.”
The magistrate said the mother’s comments were accurate and very heartfelt.
“No surprise, there are no surprises whatsoever,” he said.
“To me, there’s nothing unusual about this. It’s just terrible, nightmarish offending … and the consequences of it being completely tragic.”
The court heard the trio accused of attacking the boy had been driving around the area in a stolen Volkswagen Tiguan, robbing other teenagers leaving school, stealing phones and clothing.
The car drove up to the victim and his friend on Lloyds Avenue with two teen boys demanding his phone. When he refused, the boys slapped and kicked the victim and one of the boys “used a box cutter to inflict injuries”.
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The court heard one of the boys then grabbed the victim by his jacket and dragged him into the Volkswagen. The girl sped off with him hanging out of the passenger door, his feet dangling over the road, as they reached speeds up to 70km/h.
Bystanders said the driver didn’t appear to know how to drive the car, and it sped and verged across lanes, almost hitting another vehicle, with the windscreen wipers switched on.
The car drove erratically for about 150 metres on Neerim Road before the victim was ejected. The three teens didn’t stop to render assistance.
Witnesses saw him having a seizure, and vomiting blood before he passed out near the gutter, bleeding from his head.
Prosecutors on Wednesday did not seek that the girl be placed in youth detention, but instead be subject to a behavioural order.
Her lawyer submitted to the court that her offending occurred within the context of the emergence of “mental health issues”.
The girl will be sentenced in August.
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