A 13-year-old girl who allegedly targeted members of the Jewish community in a series of offences has been refused bail in a Victorian children's court. The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, faces 109 charges including reckless conduct endangering serious injury, theft, motor vehicle theft and burglary.
Police told the court that after allegedly driving a stolen car into a cyclist in Brighton on 30 March, the girl searched online for the punishment for running someone over. Detective Senior Constable Jarryd Grey said the teen thrived on notoriety and was invested in social media reaction to her alleged offending, believing it gave her status among her peers.
The court heard of other alleged incidents targeting Jewish people, including antisemitic remarks shouted at pedestrians in Hampton, Ripponlea and Caulfield, and swerving a stolen car towards a Jewish family in Ripponlea. A web search for 'where do Jews live' was also found on her phone, indicating the targeting was deliberate.
The prosecutor noted the girl's offending had escalated to an average of 1.45 times per day over 74 days, describing it as a 'weaponisation' of stolen cars. The magistrate denied bail, stating the risk to the community was overwhelming.
