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This article was published 29/11/2017 (1028 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BRANDON — A 12-year-old boy who stole a car and ran a city bus off the road and into a building caused an estimated $1 million to $2 million in damage during his joyride, Brandon provincial court heard Tuesday.

"The stealing of this car and the accident that ensued at the hands of (the accused)... is one of the most excessive incidents that I have seen," Crown attorney Kaley Tschetter said.

The boy pleaded guilty to a number charges, including theft of a motor vehicle and multiple breaches of his recognizance.

Judge John Combs sentenced the boy to 18 months of supervised probation, including any recommended counselling and enrolment in the Intensive Support and Supervision Program.

Due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, he cannot be identified.

However, he is well-known.

The Free Press has chronicled the boy’s story for several years. He’s been a frequent runaway and ward of Child and Family Services, who has been involved in numerous criminal incidents, including an arson, car thefts, possession of drugs and weapons, robberies, assaults, uttering death threats and a near-fatal stabbing.

In each case, he couldn’t be charged because the Youth Criminal Justice Act doesn’t apply to children under 12.

The boy turned 12 prior to the incident in Brandon on Oct. 6, when the boy and a girl were on a supervised outing with a group-home worker.

The worker stopped at another group home to pass along a set of keys, Tschetter said. The youth were left in the car while the worker ran inside, Tschetter said, adding the car — a blue Lincoln MKS — had a push start and the employee took the key fob with her.

As she was walking back to the car, she saw the brake lights flash and the boy in the driver’s seat. The worker — and the key fob — were in range to allow the ignition to be started.

She ran to the car, pushing the lock and panic buttons on the fob in hopes of stopping the vehicle, but the boy pulled away.

A short time later, Brandon police were called to the corner of 10th Street and Princess Avenue, where the stolen Lincoln had reportedly run a red light and collided with a city bus, forcing it off the road and into the side of the Samson Engineering building.

A bystander told police he had grabbed the driver as he tried to run away, and officers arrested the boy on scene.

The boy told police he was travelling west on Princess Avenue and slowed for the light, but went through anyway and collided with the bus, Tschetter said.

The car was written off, Tschetter said, costing a little more than $19,000. The city bus also needs to be replaced, with an estimated price tag of $500,000 to $600,000, and the owner of Samson Engineering estimated fixing the building could cost approximately $1 million.

Tschetter noted the boy has spent just under a month in custody due to the offence and a number of breaches to the conditions of his recognizance, which should be taken into consideration, she said.

Defence lawyer Jennifer Janssens ultimately agreed with the Crown’s recommendation, adding the boy has a lot of resources dedicated to him.

"He understands the seriousness of his offences... to the extent that he can as a 12-year-old," Janssens said. "He’s had immediate consequences every time he’s stepped a toe out of line."

The boy has also been diagnosed with ADHD, conduct disorder and is suspected to have an alcohol-related neurological disorder, Janssens said.

— Brandon Sun