A 15-YEAR-OLD youth who was instrumental in allowing a drug rollover to happen at Timboon has been placed on a probation order.
The youth, who cannot be named because he is aged under 18 years, pleaded guilty to his part in the offence yesterday.
Police alleged the youth was the only one of a trio who knew the Timboon resident who was the victim of an aggravated burglary.
The court heard the youth went to the home in an effort to buy cannabis, then let two other youths into the home by holding open a door.
The two other offenders had then terrorised the victim.
Police said that on June 12 this year two youths travelled by bus from Camperdown to Timboon, where they met two other people.
The youth who appeared in court yesterday then went to an address in Timboon and was invited in to buy cannabis.
The other two offenders lay in wait to enter the property wearing balaclavas, latex gloves and armed with a metal pipe and part of a hockey stick.
After bursting into the home, they grabbed the victim in a bear hug and threatened to bash in his skull if all the dealer’s cash and drugs was not handed over, the court heard.
The victim had pleaded not to be hurt before grabbing one of his attackers and pulling off his balaclava.
A bag containing 14 grams of cannabis was located and one of the intruders armed himself with a black-handled steak knife, threatening to cut the victim if he did not co-operate.
The two intruders ran off and the incident was reported to police, who recovered the gloves, balaclavas and the steak knife.
A magistrate yesterday told the youth: “The lesson needs to be learnt. If you hang around with dopey people involved in criminal activity you are likely to end up in trouble.”