TWO 12-year-old boys have been granted bail, charged over the robbery of a taxi driver in Armidale.
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The pair are accused of robbing and assaulting a 31-year-old man who picked them up on Longswamp Rd about 2.20pm on Thursday.
Police have been told three juveniles were picked up by the taxi but the driver requested some payment prior to driving them to their destination.
The trio told the driver they didn’t have any money on them but directed him to a number of Armidale addresses to obtain money for the fare.
When the driver reached the intersection of Glass St, near Trim St, he stopped the taxi and demanded payment. Police will allege one of the boys threatened the driver, while another exited the vehicle and allegedly attempted to take money from the taxi driver.
The third boy allegedly assaulted the driver by kicking him in the shoulder. Shortly after, the trio fled the scene.
The driver was not injured and police were contacted shortly after, and started investigating the incident before public help led to a breakthrough, after two boys were apprehended in the Armidale CBD.
“There were a number of members of the public that reported several incidents that led to the detection of those youths,” New England Detective Inspector Ann Joy told The Leader.
One 12-year-old boy was charged with robbery and aggravated assault with intent to rob, while a second 12-year-old was charged with robbery, aggravated assault with intent to rob, behave in offensive manner and intimidate police officer in execution of duty. Both boys were refused bail and spent the night in custody before they were transported to Glen Innes Children’s Court for a bail hearing.
The pair were granted conditional bail by Magistrate Karen Stafford, while the third juvenile was still in custody late yesterday.
The cases will return to court in Armidale next week and police said investigations into the third alleged offender are continuing.