By Lachlan Ellis
A young man will have to wait another two months to hear his fate, after admitting to trying to break into a local sports club’s clubrooms last year.
The accused, who cannot be named as he is under the age of 18, attended the Bacchus Marsh Magistrates Court on Friday 28 April, charged with attempted burglary and criminal damage.
The court heard the accused and another male went to the Bacchus Marsh Football Netball Club’s rooms late at night, damaging the club’s roller door when they couldn’t get into the canteen.
Police Prosecutor Acting Sergeant Scott Peeler told the court on 2nd September 11.41 pm, the accused and another male attended the Bacchus Marsh Football Netball Club clubrooms.
“They walked to the deck bar area, approached a large aluminium roller door that secured the canteen area. Both males pushed open the roller door from the bottom, applied force. After a struggle with the door, they pushed it off its tracks,” Sgt Peeler said.
“The males were disturbed by police and ran. Nothing was stolen. On the 6th of September 2022, a search warrant was executed at his address. He was interviewed and made full admissions, saying he and a friend attended the clubrooms to steal chips and soft drink. They had heard it was easy to gain entry from another group of friends who had tried themselves.”
Magistrate Hugh Radford said any attempt at burglary was disgraceful, but especially on a community organisation like a local sports club.
“Attempted burglary carries a maximum of ten years’ jail. Criminal damage is also ten years. But the other thing I don’t like about this is that it’s a community club, and you’ve gone in there to presumably nick chips and drinks and things like that,” he said.
“There’s a lot of people that work in that club to make sure it runs properly, they give their time freely, and basically, it’s a community organisation. A club like that supports other young people playing sport, and you’ve gone in there to basically take stuff from it, which I don’t like. It’s bad enough anyway, but particularly on a community organisation.”
The young man was supported in court by his mother, who said he had “cut ties” with the friends involved, and was “really sorry” about what he’d done.
Magistrate Radford said the accused was lucky to have his mother supporting him, “because I’ve seen many boys sit in a courtroom where you’re sitting, all alone – they don’t have any supports”.
“You owe her a big vote of thanks today for coming along and supporting you, because that’s a significant factor I take into account,” he said.
The case was adjourned to 30 June, with the Magistrate ordering the accused to be in-person for that session, with a report on his behaviour since the last session to be provided as well.
