Mother accused of laughing and urging abuse as disabled teen was tortured

A Townsville court heard that a mother allegedly laughed and encouraged the brutal assault of her intellectually disabled 17-year-old son, and she was denied bail.

In Townsville Magistrates Court, prosecutors alleged that the mother of a 17-year-old with an intellectual disability actively participated in and encouraged a violent assault on her son, reportedly laughing and telling him he "deserved it" as he was beaten with metal rods and a horse whip. After the beating, the teen was wrapped in plastic, zip-tied and dumped in bushland near Pallarenda, where joggers discovered him on July 18; he has undergone two surgeries for a broken nose, scalp lacerations, spinal and tibia fractures and extensive bruising.

Police prosecutor Lescha Lawson said the mother’s involvement began after she made false accusations that the boy was a paedophile. Eleven individuals, six of them minors, have been charged. Defence counsel Mikaila Ward argued there is no forensic link to her client and highlighted challenges in providing separate representation for all accused. Magistrate Steven Mosch described the conduct as "incomprehensible" and denied bail, adjourning the case to September; a second accused also had bail refused after text messages suggested proactive involvement.