The mother of a 17-year-old intellectually disabled boy, allegedly tortured and dumped in bushland, has been denied bail in Townsville Magistrate's Court. Her case was adjourned to September. Police prosecutor Lescha Lawson told the court the mother allegedly "laughed" as she watched her son being beaten.
Eleven individuals, including six minors, now face charges after the 17-year-old was discovered by joggers in bushland at Pallarenda, Townsville, on July 18. The alleged assault reportedly began after the mother made "false allegations against the child," accusing him of being a paedophile.
Court proceedings detailed a horrific sequence of events. The teenager was allegedly assaulted at a residence, then pursued into the street where the beating continued with a horse whip and metal rods. He was later zip tied, wrapped in plastic, transported in a car boot, and abandoned.
Ms. Lawson stated the mother allegedly "actively participated in the assault and encouraged" others. She watched her son being bashed, "joking" about the violence, "tormenting" him, and declaring, "he deserved it." The victim told police his mother laughed as he was beaten with metal bars by multiple people.
The 17-year-old suffered a broken nose, two scalp lacerations, a spinal fracture, a tibia fracture, and substantial bruising. He has undergone two surgeries for these injuries.
A System Under Strain
Magistrate Steven Mosch described the alleged offending as "incomprehensible." He found it "reprehensible that the biological mother of the defendant was said to be present — if not actively engaged and encouraging others to do so." Documents tendered by police also alleged methamphetamine had been smoked at the residence before the brutal assault.
Defence lawyer Mikaila Ward, representing the mother, argued there was a "lack of particularisation" regarding the involvement of specific alleged offenders. She claimed "no forensic evidence linking my client to the offence." Ms. Ward stated her client asserted she asked her son to leave and watched him walk out before going to bed. She also flagged potential issues in securing separate legal representation for all 11 co-accused, noting, "There are 11 charged so, finding representation could be an ongoing issue."
Specialized Legal Apparatus
Another co-accused also sought bail in Townsville Magistrates Court on August 11. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service lawyer Matt Morton argued his client "strongly" contested the allegations, claiming she "put herself in the firing line to protect the child." However, Ms. Lawson countered that the woman failed to call police and had been identified by the 17-year-old as an alleged perpetrator.
The court heard this woman was not at the initial gathering but arrived after a phone call from another co-accused. Ms. Lawson presented text messages allegedly sent by the woman, including: "I'm coming now, sorry. I was a little scared. I'm sorry. I thought jail time for me lol" and later, "just dealing with this sick f**k." Magistrate Mosch concluded these texts suggested "some proactive involvement." He rejected her bail application as well, adjourning her case to September.