Teenagers found guilty of beating Quokkas to death

[Guest guest]

Quokkas are small Australian marsupials. They resemble small kangaroos

but have a distinctive appearance. Quokkas are found on

Rottnest Island off the coast of Western Australia near Perth.

Rottnest Island is a popular resort for both local and overseas

visitors and the island is reached by commercial tourist ferries

and private boats.

To see a picture of a quokka and read about this interesting

Australian marsupial see

http://home.mira.net/~areadman/quokka.htm

 

Court push for quokka teens

The West Australian Newspaper

January 16th 2003

 

 

By Daniel Cleryand Cian Manton

 

ATTORNEY-GENERAL Jim McGinty will seek legal advice on whether three

teenagers accused of killing eight quokkas can be brought before the

Children's Court.

 

Police charged the 15-year-old boys on Tuesday with two breaches of the

Wildlife Conservation Act after they allegedly killed the quokkas with

objects such as sticks and rocks on the Rottnest Island cricket ground

earlier this month.

 

Rather than make the boys face court, police referred the alleged

first-time offenders to a juvenile justice team, as required by Section

29 of the Young Offenders Act.

 

This meant any punishment - which would be likely to involve a community

service order - would be confidential.

 

The move drew criticism yesterday from animal welfare advocates and the

Opposition, who urged Mr McGinty to have the charges reviewed.

 

Mr McGinty said that while police believed their hands were tied over

the issue, there may be scope under the Act to have the matter referred

to the Children's Court.

 

He would seek legal advice and if necessary would amend the Act to give

police the power to use more discretion when laying charges for

first-time offences.

 

Mr McGinty said killing quokkas was sadistic and the restorative justice

usually offered at a juvenile justice team hearing was not appropriate.

 

" In this case, the notion of restorative justice is a bit of a joke, " Mr

McGinty said.

 

" The dead quokkas are in no position to be able to deal with the

offenders. "

 

RSPCA spokeswoman Rachael Cochrane said killing quokkas was a serious

crime and while she congratulated police for charging the boys, she

supported efforts to have the charges upgraded.

 

Opposition justice spokeswoman Sue Walker said yesterday the case was a

monumental blunder that did not reflect the seriousness of the crime.

 

She had written to Police Commissioner Barry Matthews and Mr McGinty to

seek a tougher response and an explanation of why the matter was dealt

with so leniently.

 

" By sending this matter to the juvenile justice team, it sends a clear

message that it is OK to torture, maim, kick to death innocent animals

like quokkas, " Ms Walker said.

 

" There are no consequences to a person who is sent to the juvenile

justice team, in terms of they are not charged with the offence, they

are not convicted of an offence, they are not sentenced, they do not

have to pay restitution or compensation. "

 

Three charged over Rottnest quokka killing

 

The West Australian Newspaper

January 15th 2003

 

 

THREE 15-year-old boys have been charged over what police have described

as the worst killing in recent memory of quokkas on Rottnest Island.

 

Ten of the mammals, which are native to the tourist island, were

discovered apparently bashed to death nine days ago.

 

Three youths were today charged under the Wildlife Conservation Act over

the killings.

 

The trio will appear before a Juvenile Justice team at a date yet to be

set.

 

Rottnest police Sen. Const. Bruce Towie has described the slayings as

the " worst in recent memory. "

 

Nine dead quokkas were found on the sports oval and one was found at the

island's tennis courts.

 

The boys were charged with allegedly striking the quokkas on the evening

of Saturday, January 4 and the morning of January 5.

 

Post-mortem examinations on two of the quokkas showed the protected

animals died of multiple trauma injuries.

 

Snr. Const. Towie said drunks or youths occasionally tried to hit or

kick quokkas, a crime which attracts a $100 on-the-spot fine and means

instant eviction from the island.

 

There had been other incidents of quokkas being killed by visitors to

the island, but never on such a large scale - as far as Rottnest police

could recall.

 

Anyone convicted of killing a protected animal in WA faces a maximum

fine of $10,000.

 

 

 

 

-AAP