The Court: Broadmeadows Children’s Court
The Lawyer: Mario Saoud
The Charges:
The Allegations:
The client was a 16-year-old who had allegedly stolen a motor vehicle parked in the driveway of the owner’s home. The victim reported the car missing after noticing it was no longer parked in the driveway. Police later located the vehicle several suburbs away.
Police conducted forensic testing on the vehicle and found our client’s fingerprints inside. Our client was subsequently arrested and charged with the theft of the motor vehicle and required to appear in court.
Upon reviewing the brief, it became evident that the prosecution had a strong case. They had forensic evidence linking our client to the vehicle. There was also CCTV footage, which clearly showed our client entering and driving the motor vehicle. Additionally, the client made admissions to the police regarding the theft of the motor vehicle in his recorded interview.
At Court:
At court, a guilty plea was entered to one charge of theft of a motor vehicle. Shortly thereafter, the matter was adjourned for our client to engage with Youth Justice.
At the next court hearing, Youth Justice filed a progress report with the court along with their sentencing recommendations. The progress report was quite positive because the client engaged well with Youth Justice and followed their recommendations.
The Outcome:
The client had complied with the requirements of Youth Justice and displayed encouraging signs of rehabilitation. Our solicitor, therefore, made submissions to the Magistrate that a good behaviour bond was the appropriate sentence. The Magistrate did not record a conviction against the client’s name.
