More Violence As Gang Jailed

[Belangalo]

Article at dailytelegraph.com.au by David Barrett Date Tuesday October 21

It was the school yard rampage that shocked Sydney and yesterday the gang violence continued as friends of the teenagers who stormed Merrylands High attacked News Photographers.

As five youths were jailed at Parramatta Childrens Court , friends took out their anger on two TV Cameramen and Photographer from the Daily Telegraph outside the courthouse , the youths attacked the media , ironically as the jailed ringleaders father was apologising for his son.

Armed with a samurai sword , a machete and two baseball bats , the five burst in to Merrylands High School , smashing 103 windows ans assaulting students and staff. The gang wreaked havoc in the school yard as pupils gathered for morning assembly on April 7.

Yesterday four of them aged 14 to 17 were sentenced to just 15 months jail backdated and could be out by Christmas. In lengthy judgements read to the court , magistrate Sharon Holdsworth backdated the sentences to April 7 and includede 15 percent sentencing discount for entering guilty pleas in August.

The four teens face maximum of 12 months and three weeks in custody and will be eligable for parole on December 6 this year. The 15 year-old ringleader who was addicted to methamphetomines in the months leading up to the rampage - will serve a maximum 17 months. he will be eligable for parole in May.

Together the five teens faced a total of 101 charges , including multiple counts of assault , affray and malicious damage. The magistrate said the ringleader had been on a drug induced quest for revenge over an assault allegedly committed against his female cousin. The court also heard that another of the youths , now 16 , was on a good behaviour bond at the time of the attackafter being caught at school with a steak knife.

Yesterday the father of the ringleader said he felt remorse on behalf of his son ''Im very sorry for the parents , I'm very sorry for the students at Merrylands. It's not in our nature to do that. We grew up in Tonga and the laws there are based on respect ,'' he said. he still said his sons sentence was excessive.

The five youths lodged appeals against the severity of the sentences . The appeals will be heard on November 4. Last night police charged three youths over yesterday's attack. Another four were released without charge.

[Belangalo]

Article at dailytelegraph.com.au by David Barrett Date Wednesday October 22

A teenage thug walked free from jail yesterday arrogantly declaring what law abiding citizens fed up with over lenient court system already knew. ''I knew i was going to get bail. That's what usually happens ,'' the 15-year-old said outside Parramatta Childrens Court yesterday.

He had first been granted bail on a serious charge of affray following his alleged involvement in an attack on a news cameraman and a Daily Telegraph photographer a day earlier.

The Guilford youth was one of the three charged after allegedly attacking media outside Parramatta Childrens Court Monday. Magistrate Gary Still described the scuffle as ''incredibly dumb.'' ''Whatever happened, it was an incredibly dumb act because it was captured on a million pieces of footage,'' Mr Still said.

The youth will face court again on November 13 via audio-video link. A 16-year-old youth is also facing assault and affray charges after allegedly a Daily Telegraph photographer. A 13-year-old Auburn youth has been charged with punching a Network Ten cameraman.

In a seperate incident

Just half-hour earlier , Mr Still agreed to allow a 15-year-old boy charged charged with thew shooting of a man to sit his HSC in custody. The boy one of two brothers charged over the shooting was arrested while walking out of this weeks HSC English exam.

The Guilford youth has been charged with six offences including possession of a loaded firearm , police alledge the youth was driven to an apartment block on the corner of Hassall Street with his brother last Saturday night where he allegedly shot his 32-year-old victim in the thigh.

Police facts tendered in court alleged the pair had arrived with the victim at a gym the previous Friday. ''He the [the victim] saw the young person and a number of other males staring at him the police statement read.

''he asked the males what they were looking at , the young person replied i'm gonna F.....g kill you , His brother 17 , has been charged with four offences including discharging a firearm near a public place. The court heard the youth ahd an extensive criminal history including previous charges of sexual assault and drug supply. He sat the HSC English exam at Granville TAFE on Monday.

Mr Still refused bail but agreed to arrange for the youth to sit on an economics exam on Oct 28. '' He needs to be freed so that he can complete his HSC examinations ,'' the boys solicitor Alexander Gindice told the court.