Eighteen young offenders are fronting Darwin’s youth court Monday charged with 28 violent robbery offences between them – with one offender alone also facing 13 serious breach of bail charges – according to a youth criminal justice court list obtained by the NT Independent.

The list, which is usually kept from public view, includes the two 12-year-olds and a 15-year-old arrested over the weekend for a violent robbery of a service station in Coconut Grove after using weapons to allegedly threaten workers.

The NT Government successfully closed the youth court to the public in 2019, as part of recommendations by the royal commission into youth justice, meaning the public does not get to see how young offenders are being dealt with by the courts after being arrested for serious crimes.

According to Monday’s youth court list, two young offenders are facing three aggravated robbery charges between them and 24 serious breach of bail charges, with most of those related to breaking curfew and breaching the terms of their electronic monitoring devices.

The shock figures show youth are repeatedly being bailed and committing serious offences after being released, including assaulting workers causing harm and a surprising number of aggravated unlawful use of vehicle charges.

Sources involved in the NT’s crime and justice systems told the NT Independent that violent robberies committed by youths have increased substantially over the last few years.

“The offenders are breaching bail by letting their EMs [electronic monitoring devices] run out of battery and then absconding to commit serious crimes,” one source said.

“Then they’re getting bailed again by the judges, so then there are more victims. It’s a disgrace.

“Aggravated robbery has become one of the most prevalent charges around, which years ago was rare.”

The youth court list shows one young offender charged with three counts of unlawfully using a motor vehicle, six counts of stealing and two counts of aggravated robbery, which involves the use of a weapon.

Another young offender on the list is facing two counts of assaulting a person, assault with intent to steal, two counts of aggravated robbery and two counts of aggravated assault. That young offender is also facing eight charges for serious breach of bail, including five for not abiding by the restrictions of an electronic monitoring device.

The royal commission found that naming young offenders or publicising their photos is harmful to their future prospects, their sense of identity and connection to the community and the government then moved to close youth court from the public.

The Fyles Government recently announced it will raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 years. It is also looking at changes that would prevent a young offender from being charged as an adult for violent offences.