By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A 18-year-old has faced court after smashing up her terrified mother’s Dandenong home while searching for items to sell for drug money.
During the 29 April incident, the allegedly “ice-effected” woman threw pictures off the wall throughout the house and threatened to “kill you all”, police informant Sergeant Chris Marlowe told Dandenong Magistrates’ Court the next day.
When locked outside, the woman hurled pieces of brick through the home’s windows.
At the time, she was allegedly breaching an intervention order by even visiting the house.
During an earlier alleged tirade at the house, she’d allegedly tried to strike her younger brother’s head with a picture frame.
She was on bail at the time for allegedly stealing a box of $2.50 ear rings and a box of $2 cigarette lighters and assaulting attendants at a Frankston store on 7 March.
When pursued by the attendants, she allegedly punched one in the face and threw the box of ear rings at them.
She kicked and punched another attendant to the leg and head before police arrived, the court was told.
At a hearing on 30 April, police opposed bail due to her being an unacceptable risk of failing to answer bail and of re-offending, as well as her violent past offending.
The former refugee also didn’t have a suitable place to live, relying on a visit to WAYSS that day for emergency accommodation.
She had a poor history of compliance with Youth Justice, was in a relationship with a wanted juvenile offender, and drinking cask-wine at a harmful, daily level, the court heard.
She claimed she had not used ice for at least two weeks, a defence lawyer said.
The woman was grieving over the death of her brother and grandmother as well as a friend in a car crash but had not received grief counselling.
“She says she needs help,” a defence lawyer said.
“She identifies she is an angry person and is trying to get treatment.”
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen commented that the woman was now under a different set of rules, being no longer under the juvenile justice system.
“It’s not so funny now that she’s 18 (years old)”.
He had “no confidence” that the woman would engage with Youth Justice and support services.
“This was all put to the court last time and nothing happened.
“There’s not even accommodation in place.”
Mr Vandersteen felt “sorry” for the accused’s mother and primary-school aged brother and sister.
“You’re damaging the people closest to you.”
The woman was remanded to face court the next day for sentencing.
Mr Vandersteen indicated that she was likely to receive a deferred sentence. An adult corrections order was too much of a “jump” given her vulnerabilities, he said.
