Charges have been laid against three teenage boys in relation to an assault and damage to property in Mount Pearl earlier this month. The same trio are already before the courts in connection with two violent assaults in Mount Pearl last week.
RNC were called to a disturbance at a restaurant on Commonwealth Avenue around 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 8th.
Police say a group of young people had damaged property, and assaulted a person on the parking lot. The victim suffered minor injuries as a result.
Three boys were arrested yesterday, and charged in connection with the incident.
One is facing charges of assault with a weapon, property damage and failure to comply with a release order; the other two teens are each facing one count each of assault with a weapon and property damage.
The three were also among a group of six young people who were arrested and charged in connection with violent attacks on two separate men in Mount Pearl last Friday evening.
Paul Lane
Area MHA says changes need to be made to address violent repeat offenders
The Independent MHA for Mount Pearl-Southlands suggests that changes be made to the Youth Criminal Justice Act so that repeat violent offenders, who happen to be minors, face more significant consequences.
Paul Lane was responding to two recent violent attacks in Mount Pearl that have left people in the community shaken and afraid for their safety.
Lane says the fact of the matter is that the incidents were relatively isolated and involve a known group of people.
“Everybody knows who these individuals are. The schools know who they are, the city knows who they are, the RNC know who they are,” Lane told Brian Callahan on VOCM Open Line. “It’s one group, and it’s not like we have this widespread crime coming from all parts of the city. It’s concentrated among primarily one group of bad actors.”
Lane understands that the Criminal Code of Canada and the Youth Criminal Justice Act are under federal jurisdiction, but he says the provinces have a role to play to strengthen the legislation with a greater emphasis on deterrence.
He asks whether, when it comes to repeat and habitual violent offenders, whether they’re adults or minors. “Are the laws tough enough, and is the punishment tough enough? How many times can someone be given probation and be released on conditions before they finally are punished properly?”
