Teen accused of antisemitism has 109 charges dropped

Australian Jewish leaders slammed the decision by prosecutors to drop 109 charges against a 14-year-old girl in Melbourne, which included using a stolen car to run down a 45-year-old man cycling in Brighton, making antisemitic remarks and swerving towards Jewish people in Ripponlea after Googling “where do Jews live”.

The girl was 13 at the time of the alleged two month crime spree.   The criminal age of responsibility in Victoria is 12.  However, the legal principle of doli incapax requires that to proceed with charges, it must be proven that a child understood their actions were seriously wrong – not just against the rules or illegal. Yet the allegations against the teenager were deemed so serious, that she was refused bail twice.

Jewish Community Council of Victoria CEO Naomi Levin told The AJN, “The response of courts does not provide any comfort to those who were impacted that day. The JCCV strongly believes in educating all Victorian young people with upstander education, with critical thinking skills and with a better understanding of who Jewish people are. Without education, we will not see a shift in community attitudes towards Jewish people.”

While Zionist Federation of Australia CEO Alon Cassuto remarked, “In the midst of an explosion of antisemitism in Australia, now the subject of a Royal Commission, our community will understandably be deeply concerned that authorities appear unable to prosecute a teenager accused of violently targeting Jews.

“While protections for children matter, the law must also be fit for purpose in dealing with alleged violent hate-motivated conduct.  There must be clear consequences for violent antisemitism. Authorities cannot allow gaps in the law to embolden others who may seek to target Jewish Australians.”