Three teenagers who allegedly took part in a serious attack in suburban Lake Macquarie, which resulted in a 16-year-old boy being placed in an induced coma at the weekend, have been released on bail.
The Newcastle Herald can reveal that one of the teenagers involved in the alleged glassing was already on bail at the time of the assault, with court records showing he was again granted conditional bail in a Sydney children's court on Sunday following his arrest.
The injured 16-year-old, who was rushed to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition with severe lacerations to his head in the early hours of New Year's Day, was continuing his recovery in hospital yesterday afternoon.
Lake Macquarie police were called to Ocean Street at Dudley about 12.10am on Sunday after reports a teenager had been hit in the head with a glass bottle.
They soon arrested three teenage boys - two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old - and charged them with reckless grievous bodily harm in company and reckless wounding in company.
The boys were refused bail by police and faced Parramatta children's court on Sunday, where they were each granted conditional bail.
Court records show that one of the teenagers who was released from custody at the weekend was already on bail for serious charges at the time of the alleged attack - one count each of aggravated break and enter of a dwelling and stealing, as well as vehicle theft.
The teenager was granted bail for those charges in August.
He will face children's court in Newcastle on January 12.
The other two teenagers will face the same court on January 17.
No pleas have been entered over the alleged glassing at Lake Macquarie.
Magistrate Peter Miszalski on Sunday attached several conditions to the boys' bail, including that they must not enter the suburb of Dudley and cannot have any contact with each other.
They were each handed a daily curfew - the teenager who was already on bail and one of the other boys are to remain home between 6pm and 6am unless they are with a parent or carer - or an adult who has received written approval - at all times.
The third boy's restrictions are in place between 9pm and 5am every day.
Usual bail conditions such as a ban on consuming alcohol and illicit drugs, as well being prohibited from contacting the alleged victim and witnesses, also apply as part of their release from custody.