Detective Inspector Kevin Goan reported that three teenage boys allegedly broke into a Manunda home in Cairns at approximately 3:30 am on Friday, where a couple in their 30s were asleep. During the invasion, one assailant detained the male resident while two others forced the female occupant outside at knifepoint, where she was sexually assaulted.
Later that day, police apprehended two of the teenagers, aged 15 and 16, as they searched for a third suspect. The third boy, also 15, was located at a Manunda residence around 6 pm and taken into custody. He faces 13 charges, including five counts of rape and two counts of armed robbery and deprivation of liberty, and will appear in Innisfail Children’s Court.
The other two teenagers were also charged with 11 offences each, encompassing similar serious allegations. These developments followed the release of police bodycam footage depicting the arrest of one suspect, showcasing the dramatic moment when an officer tackled him to the ground.