Have you or your child been Charged with a “Category A” Serious Youth Offence?

Examples include:

1. Nature of Offences

• Category A Offences:
  • These are considered the most serious youth offences and include crimes that typically involve severe harm or potential for fatal outcomes. Examples include:
    • Murder
    • Attempted murder
    • Manslaughter
    • Child homicide
    • Arson causing death
    • Culpable driving causing death
  • Offences against the Crimes Act that involve significant violence or grave consequences also fall under this category.
• Category B Offences:
  • These are serious but less severe than Category A offences. They encompass serious crimes that can cause significant harm but generally do not result in death. Examples include:
    • Recklessly causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence
    • Rape
    • Home invasion
    • Carjacking

2. Legal Proceedings

• Category A Offences:
  • Cases involving Category A offences must be heard in a higher court (such as the County Court or Supreme Court). There is a mandatory uplift for charges like murder, attempted murder, and manslaughter, meaning they cannot be heard summarily in the Children’s Court.
• Category B Offences:
  • Generally, these charges can be heard in the Children’s Court through a summary process. However, if a child aged 16 or over is charged with a Category B offence, the court must consider whether there are exceptional circumstances that warrant transferring the case to a higher court