Avalon Airport: Teen faces court charged with bringing shotgun on Jetstar plane

A teenage boy has faced court after allegedly climbing through an airport fence and taking a shotgun onto a Jetstar plane.

The 17-year-old faced a children’s court on Friday after being charged with 12 offences, including unlawfully taking control of an aircraft, orchestrating a bomb hoax, and possessing a firearm.

He allegedly climbed through a hole in a fence at Victoria’s second biggest airport, Avalon, before making his way by foot to the aircraft about 2.20pm on Thursday, police allege.

About 160 passengers were on board the Jetstar plane, due to fly to Sydney.

The teen allegedly tried to climb the front stairs into the plane cabin but was noticed by passengers and subsequently overpowered by three civilians who tackled him to the ground, police said.

He was arrested by police, who allegedly found live ammunition rounds, a shotgun and a vehicle belonging to the boy.

No one was physically harmed in the incident but bomb response unit officers were called to assist with his bags as a safety precaution.

The boy was arrested and charged with unlawfully taking control, endangering safe operation and threatening the safety of an aircraft, as well as dangerous goods, bomb hoax, firearm possession and traffic-related offences.

Wearing a white shirt, the teen faced a children’s court on Friday morning flanked by custody officers.

His defence lawyer said it was the 17-year-old’s first time in custody and a magistrate confirmed that meant he was vulnerable due to his age.

The teen nodded at the magistrate as he told the boy he would be remanded in custody because he was not applying for bail.

“You’re obviously in custody at the moment, you’ve been charged with some offences by the police, you’re not making an application for bail today,” the magistrate told the teen.

He remanded him to appear back at the court on March 21.

The teen was taken back into custody after the brief hearing.