Latest news with #ChildrensCourt
ABC News
16-07-2025
- ABC News
Teens charged with murder after stabbing death of Zdravko Bilic on Sunshine Coast
Two teenage boys have been charged with murder following the stabbing death of 57-year-old Zdravko Bilic on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. A 15-year-old boy from West Woombye and a 17-year-old from Beerwah will appear in the Maroochydore Childrens Court this morning.
Irish Times
15-07-2025
- Irish Times
Teenager born in prison spared custodial sentence for theft
A youth described as 'failed by the State' – born in prison, predisposed to addiction from infancy and having spent his life in care – has been spared a custodial sentence for theft. The harrowing background was revealed when the now 18-year-old pleaded guilty to stealing €360 worth of clothes from a sportswear outlet in Tallaght, Dublin, on November 24th last. He cannot be named because he was 17 at the time of the offence and a juvenile when charged. At the Dublin Children's Court sentence hearing, Martin Dwan, defending, referred to the contents of a pre-sentence probation report and another from his guardian ad litem (GAL), a specialist appointed by a court to represent the best interests of a child in legal proceedings. READ MORE Counsel detailed the teenager's background, telling Judge Brendan Toale that the youth had been born in prison because his mother had been in custody and had serious addiction issues. He was also born with foetal alcoholism, and Mr Dwan emphasised the youth's 'tragic start in life', likening it to a 'heavy millstone around his neck'. He was in care from infancy, but at the age of six, he was placed in a foster home with a family, where he remained for a decade and had 'stability and a good nurturing life'. However, the youth was 'taken out' of that placement and later relocated to care homes around the country, lacking parental guidance. Mr Dwan quoted another judge, who dealt with one of the youth's earlier cases, that he was 'absolutely failed by the State in that regard'. An eleventh-hour GAL report was drafted when he turned 18 and reached adulthood, as Tusla implemented an aftercare plan. The youth listened intently but did not address the proceedings. The court heard that due to his mother's drinking problems, the teenager was predisposed to addiction. Mr Dwan elaborated about how the teenager went on to attend child and adolescent mental health services with issues including PTSD. The court heard that some problems coincided with the ending of his long-term foster placement. The teenager connected with his family and started to come to Garda attention, while abusing alcohol and drugs, which he had a predisposition to from birth. At one stage, the substance abuse induced psychosis, resulting in the teenager being hospitalised. Judge Toale noted the pre-sentence report assessed the young man as being at moderate risk of reoffending. He also noted the contents of the GAL report and what he termed the 'extraordinary background' to the case, and placed the teenager on supervised probation for six months. During that time, he must not reoffend and must comply with the directions of his probation officer to divert him from further offending; otherwise, the case could be reopened and a harsher penalty considered.
BreakingNews.ie
15-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Prison-born teen 'failed by the State' avoids custody for theft
A youth described as 'failed by the State' – born in prison, predisposed to addiction from infancy, and having spent his life in care – has been spared a custodial sentence for theft. The harrowing background was revealed when the now 18-year-old pleaded guilty to stealing €360 worth of clothes from a sportswear outlet in Tallaght, Dublin, on November 24th last. Advertisement He cannot be named because he was 17 at the time of the offence and a juvenile when charged. At the Dublin Children's Court sentence hearing, Martin Dwan BL, defending, referred to the contents of a pre-sentence probation report and another from his guardian ad litem (GAL), a specialist appointed by a court to represent the best interests of a child in legal proceedings. Counsel detailed the teen's background, telling Judge Brendan Toale that the youth had been born in prison because his mother had been in custody and had serious addiction issues. He was also born with foetal alcoholism, and Mr Dwan emphasised the youth's "tragic start in life", likening it to a "heavy millstone around his neck". From infancy, he was in care, but at the age of six, he was placed in a foster home with a family, remaining there for a decade, where he had "stability and a good nurturing life". Advertisement However, the youth was "taken out" of that placement and later relocated to care homes around the country, lacking parental guidance. Mr Dwan quoted another judge, who dealt with one of the youth's earlier cases, that he was "absolutely failed by the State in that regard". An eleventh-hour GAL report was drafted when he turned 18 and reached adulthood, as Tusla implemented an aftercare plan. The youth listened intently but did not address the proceedings. Advertisement The court heard that due to his mother's drinking problems, the teen was predisposed to addiction. Mr Dwan elaborated about how the teen went on to attend child and adolescent mental health services with issues including PTSD. The court heard that some problems coincided with the ending of his long-term foster placement; the teenager connected with his family and started to come to garda attention, while abusing alcohol and drugs, which he had a predisposition to from birth. At one stage, the substance abuse induced psychosis, resulting in the teen being hospitalised. Judge Toale noted the pre-sentence report assessed the young man as being at moderate risk of reoffending. He also noted the contents of the GAL report and what he termed the "extraordinary background" to the case, and placed the teenager on supervised probation for six months. During that time, he must not reoffend and must comply with the directions of his probation officer to divert him from further offending; otherwise, the case could be reopened and a harsher penalty considered.
The Age
03-07-2025
- The Age
Inside the affluent streets and private schools entangled in the Clayfield stabbing
A woman walks her dog down a street in Clayfield. It's windy, but sunny, and tradesmen rush about renovating multimillion-dollar homes. Most of the houses are empty on this weekday afternoon. A scattering of teenagers, having ditched their private school blazers during the holiday weeks, roam palatial properties barefoot and carefree. In a nearby park, small children laugh and squeal in the playground. But just days earlier, flashing sirens and homicide detectives swarmed the streets, slicing through the gentle holiday buzz following reports of a brutal stabbing. Halfway up the road, a towering white wall wraps around a property protecting the home from peering eyes. Behind it is a sprawling home with bay windows lapping up vistas from Brisbane's city skyline. The events inside this $5.4 million home reverberated beyond the close-knit neighbourhood and captured the nation's attention. Greg Josephson, the co-founder of clothing chain Universal Store, was found dead upstairs on Thursday evening. He suffered critical injuries, with paramedics unable to save him. There's still lingering disbelief. It's an affluent neighbourhood where doting parents bond through connections formed at Brisbane's most prestigious private schools. One neighbour recalls hearing the sirens on Thursday evening after 8pm, and paramedics thrashing along the white wall to get into the property, searching for the ambiguous entry to the sprawling property. Loading What they discovered inside is now the centre of a major homicide investigation. Several teenagers – police estimate about 30 – were at the house. A 15-year-old boy at the party is now in custody. Prosecutors in the Childrens Court are currently compiling their brief of evidence. It's unclear if the teen will fight the charges through private legal representation, but he has applied for Legal Aid in the meantime. As dozens of police vehicles lined the street that night, Inspector Jane Healy told reporters that emergency services had received a call about 8.15pm from a young male. He had also suffered a minor injury, police said. Officers described the remnants of the party as a hive of confusion, with oblivious teenagers struggling to reason with the police and unaware of what had taken place. 'From that [call], police attended this address, and that male person indicated to us that he had some knowledge of something that had happened here tonight, and is assisting police with enquiries,' Healy says. 'There were about 30 young people here. It was quite chaotic and quite a confusing scene and confronting scene when police arrived.' It's the latest private school party to be thrust before the glare of media headlines. Earlier this year, a Brisbane Boys College student was taken into custody after hundreds of teenagers trashed an Airbnb in East Brisbane, throwing a couch and lawnmower into the pool. The school's principal later launched an internal investigation. Other reports of scandals continue to engulf various boys' schools in the city, raising concerns about toxic masculinity and the influence of excessive privilege. Some schools appear to be in an endless cycle of damage control over reports of Snapchat scandals, degrading videos, and ranking and so-called 'rape lists'. But in Clayfield, multiple neighbours said there was practically no noise from the fateful party. Even the house immediately beside the Josephsons was unaware of any revelling teenagers until police arrived. The accused's enrolment at one top private school has raised concerns from parents about the checks and balances for entry. Meanwhile, the community at St Joseph's College Gregory Terrace, where Greg graduated in 1984, is reeling from his violent death. On the night of the stabbing last week, the accused boy allegedly left the property and was arrested about two blocks away. This week, police appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage in the areas of Alexandra Road, Oriel Road and Barlow Street, to help detectives narrow in on a 90-minute window and piece together a timeline of events before the alleged murder. Rumours are rampant about the weapon allegedly used to kill Greg, which was found by police, but authorities are yet to formally confirm what it was, or how it was used. The horrific events of Thursday night are difficult for the community to comprehend. Some days later, neighbours walk their dogs past the home, and police are no longer swarming over the streets. One neighbour, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, recalls her childhood growing up beside Greg and his wife Tamra. The young woman said she had known the couple since she was three as a direct neighbour in another Brisbane suburb before moving to Clayfield. The Josephsons coincidentally moved in about a year later. 'They were such a beautiful family,' she told this masthead through a strained smile. 'They were always supportive, they were always there for us. 'They were a lovely family, always spreading love, and I think one thing the community can get out of this, is, despite everything, they're such a loving family. 'I remember we used to build lemonade stands in the street and they would come out and buy a packet of Oreos to support us, when we were like five years old. 'There's a lot of love on this street, and Tam and Greg contributed to that.' Another neighbour, who also asked not to be named, recalls her son coming home that night, and stopping at the nearby IGA and hearing about an incident. The family had assumed it was a robbery, and never imagined Greg, who they knew, had died. 'They're a very nice family,' she says, recalling how Greg was actively involved in the community. Many neighbours lamented that speculation was rife, with online theories only causing further trauma for the grieving family. Some questioned how such a tragedy could allegedly unfold at the hands of a teenager. Others wondered about wider societal issues at play, and how technology had engulfed children with corrupt influences. The neighbourhood has now been indelibly marked by a tragedy that no one expected. At the centre of it is a grieving family. Photos shared by Greg recently show a glimpse into his life. On Christmas Day, the 58-year-old posted a photo of his wife, Tamra, smiling, standing on a beach, a cruise ship in turquoise water in the distance. Friends have left comments on the photos remembering Greg as a gentleman, with a beautiful laugh, who was always there for them. Other photos show adventures of horseriding, skiing, riding motorbikes, family trips across Australia, and at island resorts in Fiji and Bali. The family have declined interviews, and ask that the media leave them to grieve in peace. The Josephsons were an active part of the Brisbane community, and had been dedicated members of the St Agatha's Parish, where Tamra was a volunteer. The pair had also recently donated to St Joseph's College. After leaving the boys school, he went on to study commerce at Griffith University. He then held positions with Westfield and Lendlease, and by the late 90s, launched the Universal Store alongside brother Michael, with the first store opening in Brisbane's east side in Carindale. Retail ran through his blood – his uncle had owned the Lee Cooper brand, while their grandfather owned the workwear brand Can't Tear 'Em. The brothers eventually moved on from Universal, selling the company for $100 million in 2018. It is now worth almost $600 million, with more than 80 shopfronts across Australia. Before his death, Greg and his wife had been planning to sell their property, shifting their focus to multiple business ventures on the Sunshine Coast, including the Rosecliff Farm Cottages in Cooran, Café Doonan and the Eumundi Hotel. In an article on the listing, Greg had said the renovation brief was to give the property a five-star hotel feel. 'We're sad to sell, but we're relocating to Noosa where we have a house and business interests,' he told News Corp in early June. It remains unclear how the case against Greg's alleged killer will play out, with the accused teen set to be the first major test of Queensland's controversial adult crime, adult time legislation.
Sydney Morning Herald
03-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Inside the affluent streets and private schools entangled in the Clayfield stabbing
A woman walks her dog down a street in Clayfield. It's windy, but sunny, and tradesmen rush about renovating multimillion-dollar homes. Most of the houses are empty on this weekday afternoon. A scattering of teenagers, having ditched their private school blazers during the holiday weeks, roam palatial properties barefoot and carefree. In a nearby park, small children laugh and squeal in the playground. But just days earlier, flashing sirens and homicide detectives swarmed the streets, slicing through the gentle holiday buzz following reports of a brutal stabbing. Halfway up the road, a towering white wall wraps around a property protecting the home from peering eyes. Behind it is a sprawling home with bay windows lapping up vistas from Brisbane's city skyline. The events inside this $5.4 million home reverberated beyond the close-knit neighbourhood and captured the nation's attention. Greg Josephson, the co-founder of clothing chain Universal Store, was found dead upstairs on Thursday evening. He suffered critical injuries, with paramedics unable to save him. There's still lingering disbelief. It's an affluent neighbourhood where doting parents bond through connections formed at Brisbane's most prestigious private schools. One neighbour recalls hearing the sirens on Thursday evening after 8pm, and paramedics thrashing along the white wall to get into the property, searching for the ambiguous entry to the sprawling property. Loading What they discovered inside is now the centre of a major homicide investigation. Several teenagers – police estimate about 30 – were at the house. A 15-year-old boy at the party is now in custody. Prosecutors in the Childrens Court are currently compiling their brief of evidence. It's unclear if the teen will fight the charges through private legal representation, but he has applied for Legal Aid in the meantime. As dozens of police vehicles lined the street that night, Inspector Jane Healy told reporters that emergency services had received a call about 8.15pm from a young male. He had also suffered a minor injury, police said. Officers described the remnants of the party as a hive of confusion, with oblivious teenagers struggling to reason with the police and unaware of what had taken place. 'From that [call], police attended this address, and that male person indicated to us that he had some knowledge of something that had happened here tonight, and is assisting police with enquiries,' Healy says. 'There were about 30 young people here. It was quite chaotic and quite a confusing scene and confronting scene when police arrived.' It's the latest private school party to be thrust before the glare of media headlines. Earlier this year, a Brisbane Boys College student was taken into custody after hundreds of teenagers trashed an Airbnb in East Brisbane, throwing a couch and lawnmower into the pool. The school's principal later launched an internal investigation. Other reports of scandals continue to engulf various boys' schools in the city, raising concerns about toxic masculinity and the influence of excessive privilege. Some schools appear to be in an endless cycle of damage control over reports of Snapchat scandals, degrading videos, and ranking and so-called 'rape lists'. But in Clayfield, multiple neighbours said there was practically no noise from the fateful party. Even the house immediately beside the Josephsons was unaware of any revelling teenagers until police arrived. The accused's enrolment at one top private school has raised concerns from parents about the checks and balances for entry. Meanwhile, the community at St Joseph's College Gregory Terrace, where Greg graduated in 1984, is reeling from his violent death. On the night of the stabbing last week, the accused boy allegedly left the property and was arrested about two blocks away. This week, police appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage in the areas of Alexandra Road, Oriel Road and Barlow Street, to help detectives narrow in on a 90-minute window and piece together a timeline of events before the alleged murder. Rumours are rampant about the weapon allegedly used to kill Greg, which was found by police, but authorities are yet to formally confirm what it was, or how it was used. The horrific events of Thursday night are difficult for the community to comprehend. Some days later, neighbours walk their dogs past the home, and police are no longer swarming over the streets. One neighbour, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, recalls her childhood growing up beside Greg and his wife Tamra. The young woman said she had known the couple since she was three as a direct neighbour in another Brisbane suburb before moving to Clayfield. The Josephsons coincidentally moved in about a year later. 'They were such a beautiful family,' she told this masthead through a strained smile. 'They were always supportive, they were always there for us. 'They were a lovely family, always spreading love, and I think one thing the community can get out of this, is, despite everything, they're such a loving family. 'I remember we used to build lemonade stands in the street and they would come out and buy a packet of Oreos to support us, when we were like five years old. 'There's a lot of love on this street, and Tam and Greg contributed to that.' Another neighbour, who also asked not to be named, recalls her son coming home that night, and stopping at the nearby IGA and hearing about an incident. The family had assumed it was a robbery, and never imagined Greg, who they knew, had died. 'They're a very nice family,' she says, recalling how Greg was actively involved in the community. Many neighbours lamented that speculation was rife, with online theories only causing further trauma for the grieving family. Some questioned how such a tragedy could allegedly unfold at the hands of a teenager. Others wondered about wider societal issues at play, and how technology had engulfed children with corrupt influences. The neighbourhood has now been indelibly marked by a tragedy that no one expected. At the centre of it is a grieving family. Photos shared by Greg recently show a glimpse into his life. On Christmas Day, the 58-year-old posted a photo of his wife, Tamra, smiling, standing on a beach, a cruise ship in turquoise water in the distance. Friends have left comments on the photos remembering Greg as a gentleman, with a beautiful laugh, who was always there for them. Other photos show adventures of horseriding, skiing, riding motorbikes, family trips across Australia, and at island resorts in Fiji and Bali. The family have declined interviews, and ask that the media leave them to grieve in peace. The Josephsons were an active part of the Brisbane community, and had been dedicated members of the St Agatha's Parish, where Tamra was a volunteer. The pair had also recently donated to St Joseph's College. After leaving the boys school, he went on to study commerce at Griffith University. He then held positions with Westfield and Lendlease, and by the late 90s, launched the Universal Store alongside brother Michael, with the first store opening in Brisbane's east side in Carindale. Retail ran through his blood – his uncle had owned the Lee Cooper brand, while their grandfather owned the workwear brand Can't Tear 'Em. The brothers eventually moved on from Universal, selling the company for $100 million in 2018. It is now worth almost $600 million, with more than 80 shopfronts across Australia. Before his death, Greg and his wife had been planning to sell their property, shifting their focus to multiple business ventures on the Sunshine Coast, including the Rosecliff Farm Cottages in Cooran, Café Doonan and the Eumundi Hotel. In an article on the listing, Greg had said the renovation brief was to give the property a five-star hotel feel. 'We're sad to sell, but we're relocating to Noosa where we have a house and business interests,' he told News Corp in early June. It remains unclear how the case against Greg's alleged killer will play out, with the accused teen set to be the first major test of Queensland's controversial adult crime, adult time legislation.
