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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Olivia Ireland

13-year-old allegedly forced victim to strip and walk around Canberra Centre

A 13-year-old who allegedly forced a man to strip out of his clothes and walk around the Canberra Centre in his underwear is set to remain behind bars.

The boy, who has not entered pleas, is accused of aggravated robbery, attempting to escape from arrest and breaching previously imposed bail conditions.

He allegedly stole the man's clothes after making him strip on Friday night, the ACT Children's Court was told on Saturday.

Court documents say that about 9pm on Friday, the boy was accompanied by two other children outside Target in the Canberra Centre, where they approached the alleged victim.

The group allegedly told the man he had to go with them to the toilet as they had to tell him something which "we can't [say] here because there are girls here".

The man at first refused, however the group demanded he come with them into the toilet. The alleged victim eventually agreed.

Once inside, police said the boy and his friends surrounded the alleged victim and demanded he take his clothes off.

It is alleged the teenager told the man to "give me your jacket or else I'll bash you".

After the alleged victim complied, the group is said to have demanded he remove the rest of his clothes, which the defendant and his friends took.

Court documents say the alleged victim was made to walk around the Canberra Centre with the group of boys while "wearing only underwear and shoes".

The accused boy allegedly told the man "if you tell the cops about this, I'm gonna bash and stab you" and "if people ask why we're doing this to you, I'll tell them you raped a three year old".

When walking around the shopping centre, the alleged victim was approached by security staff who told him to "run ahead and away" from the group of boys and told the man they would "catch up with him and find out what had happened".

The alleged victim began to run, going outside the Canberra Centre in an attempt to escape the three boys.

He unintentionally ran in front of a car, which struck him on the left knee.

The group of boys allegedly continued to follow the man and were "trying to locate him" outside.

The man continued to run away and hid out of sight before phoning his father to get clothes and pick him up.

The alleged victim gave police a statement about 11.35pm, and officers also gathered footage evidence from the Canberra Centre.

At about 12.25am on Saturday, police attended the home of the 13-year-old boy.

The boy's father told them he hadn't seen his son since early Friday.

The boy's bail conditions, imposed on previous charges of assault, meant he was supposed to be home from 9pm each day until 7am the next morning.

Ten minutes later, police saw the 13-year-old boy standing at an intersection in the city. When an officer approached the boy, telling him he was under arrest, the teenager allegedly ran away from police.

Police caught up with him and informed the boy he was under arrest for breach of bail and aggravated robbery.

In court on Saturday morning, the 13 year old's defence lawyer applied for bail on stricter conditions as the boy had previously been bullied while in custody.

Prosecutor Lillian Thomas opposed bail due to the seriousness of the alleged crime and there being little confidence he would comply with conditions.

Magistrate Glenn Theakston concluded he had "no faith" the boy would follow bail conditions.

He remanded the boy in custody to reappear on Monday.

The 13-year-old boy appeared at the ACT Children's Court on Saturday. Picture: Karleen Minney
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