VIC Caught Doing Prank - Trouble with Police?

[Bmbeyond]

Hi,

I was out with my friends and they decided to burn dog pop in a Mcdonald's bag at someone's house. Unfortunately, we knew that person and when they all ran I ran the other way and when I walked back he confronted me.

I told him I was out and I didn't know what happened and when I jumped into my friend's car he followed us and his friends came after us. They are saying they caught us on camera and I'm very scared.

I've never been in trouble with the police.

I'm a teenager.

 

[Victoria S]

Hi,

A prank like this, while it has the potential to get you charged with a minor offence for, say, vandalism or perhaps something related to arson if there were fire bans in place in your area at the time, is not likely to land you in prison or attract extreme punitive measures. I'm not a criminal lawyer so I'm not familiar with particulars. However, you have the opportunity since you are only a teen to:

(a) consider your future with a criminal record and the damage it could do and resolve to steer clear of situations that may get you caught up in silly run-ins with the law (i.e. jeopardise your potential to get a job, become registered in certain industries - i.e. law, teaching, medical - jeopardise your ability to travel overseas, obtain a holiday working visa for example in other countries)

(b) apologise to the court, admit you were doing something stupid, you feel terrible for it and provided you have no priors - they may let you off with a warning.

(c) If you are convicted of some offence, you only have to wait 5 years for it to become "spent" - which means if you get a police check for a job interview or something it will no longer show up after 5 years. However, there are certain jobs (in law, government, teaching etc), for which convictions won't become spent and they will be with you for life.

Just hope that they are just saying they have you on camera to scare you into not doing it again. And for heaven's sake don't.

 

[Rod]

You can throw in trespass as well. Burning dog poo is not a legitimate purpose for entry onto someone's land.

 

[sammy01]

Do nothing...

If you have not heard from the cops by now, chances are you're off the hook. Mate, next time man up and say it is wrong / stupid / childish.

Storytime - I am a teacher - I know a kid whose name was taken by cops when he was 14. It was still on file when he applied to join the police 10 years later. He didn't get accepted for the cops and that might have had something to do with this minor offence.

 

[Iamthelaw]

You can throw in trespass as well. Burning dog poo is not a legitimate purpose for entry onto someone's land.

You're not seriously suggesting that he'd be charged with criminal trespass are you? lol

To the Original Poster - You say that you're a teenager, how old are you?

Is this person a friend of yours? Perhaps you both play pranks like this on one another ie, an implied licence to enter the property.

 

[Rod]

About as likely as vandalism. Pointing out that pranks can have consequences. I know of someone who said he took something and returned it later. Item was never found again according to owner. Person was charged with theft and cost ~$2k in lawyers fees to get out of it. Expensive lesson to not fool around with other people's property.

Lesson: Fooling around with the wrong person has consequences.