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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Hannah Neale

'Do something worthwhile', magistrate tells 14yo accused of killing passenger

A magistrate has told a teenage driver, accused of killing a 19-year-old boy in a crash last month, to "do something positive" while on bail.

The 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, faced the ACT Children's Court on Monday.

He faces one count of culpable driving causing death, driving a stolen motor vehicle and two counts of culpable driving causing grievous bodily harm.

The boy is yet to enter pleas.

The boy's lawyer, Sam Lynch, asked the court for a three-week adjournment, saying "we just need some time to see where this is going".

Mr Lynch said the boy had been enrolled and "hopefully he'll be off to school very shortly"

The court heard the boy was "travelling well" while on bail with a large support team around him.

Magistrate James Stewart spoke directly to the 14-year-old, telling him to "do something worthwhile for you, positive for you".

"I'm glad you are doing something positive with your time on bail." Mr Stewart said.

"Please keep doing that."

The minor was arrested about 2am on January 18, approximately two hours after it is said he drove an allegedly stolen Toyota Avalon in Belconnen through a red light.

The court previously heard he and three others, a 19-year-old and two other 14-year-olds, were on a "joyride" when the car crashed at speed into a Toyota Hilux just before midnight.

The site of the Belconnen crash. Picture supplied

The 19-year-old front seat passenger, who was extricated from the heavily damaged Avalon, was taken to hospital for urgent care and surgery but was soon after pronounced dead.

While the current medical status of the other two 14-year-old passengers remains unknown, police documents tendered to the court last month state one of them was treated after "suffering from life-threatening head and chest injuries" and taken to hospital for surgery.

The other was seen by police to have "a large laceration to his head", while alleged offender and the Hilux passengers were not seriously injured.

The case is set to return in March.

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