source : the age
Seven teenagers charged with murder after a man was fatally assaulted and had his car stolen will remain behind bars.
Charges against the teens, including two girls aged 14 and 15, were upgraded after the 27-year-old man died following the alleged assault in Brisbane’s inner north.
They face life sentences under controversial “adult crime, adult time” laws introduced by Queensland’s LNP government.
The teens are accused of assaulting the man and stealing his BYD Shark 6 vehicle at Kelvin Grove about 10.30pm on July 24.
The man was taken to hospital and died almost a fortnight later, on August 6.
A total of nine children – six boys and three girls – were initially charged over the attack.
A week after the man’s death, seven teens – five boys aged from 15 to 17 and the 14 and 15-year-old girls – were each charged with an additional count of murder.
It boosts the number of juveniles charged with murder under the new Queensland laws from four to 11.
It also marks the first two teenage girls to be charged with murder under the legislation.
Magistrate Anne Thacker remanded in custody a 17-year-old boy who appeared by videolink in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday ahead of his next appearance on August 24.
Six co-accused, who did not appear, were also remanded in custody, with their matters adjourned until September 1.
Police are appealing for July 24 dashcam and CCTV footage captured on Kelvin Grove’s Victoria Park Road between 9.30pm and 10.30pm and Holland Park West’s Barter Avenue between 11.30pm and 11.50pm as part of the investigation.
They hope to speak to a potential witness who was driving a dark-coloured SUV on Victoria Park Road.
Police are also seeking witnesses and footage between 8.10pm and 8.40pm on Kelvin Grove Road, near the Musk Avenue intersection in Kelvin Grove.
Two potential witnesses have been asked to come forward after they were seen driving in the area.
The first was last seen driving a dark-coloured SUV along Victoria Park Road, Blamey Street and Musk Avenue about 10.15pm.
The second was last seen driving a blue sedan at 10.16pm on Carraway Street at the Victoria Park Road intersection.
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