2011年11月27日星期日

Police boot 26 troublemakers off Rottnest Island during schoolies

The mass evictions came just hours after a 17-year-old youth was rushed to the Rottnest Nursing Post following a suspected drug and alcohol overdose about 7pm.

Witnesses said the teen had ingested two or three ecstasy pills and had been drinking heavily before an ambulance was called to his unit.

Police sweeps of chalets unearthed youths on the island without authorised accommodation. They were aged 17 and 19.

Five males - including two schoolies - were shipped back to the mainland on the Water Police boat, while a 17-year-old youth was put on the 4pm ferry after drunkenly giving police a false name and abusing nursing post staff.

By 9.30pm, police had issued 20 "toolies'' - older people who prey on school leavers - with orders to leave the island on the 8.30am (WST) ferry this morning.

Under the Rottnest Island Authority Act, people can be removed from the island for committing non-criminal offences and ordered not to return for seven days. If they fail to adhere to the instruction they can be arrested and fined $1000.

About 10,000 Year 12 students descended on Rottnest and Dunsborough as the annual leavers pilgrimage got into full swing, while smaller contingents of revellers headed to Mandurah and Lancelin.

At Rottnest, police used sniffer dogs and searched luggage at the main jetty as about 1500 teenagers arrived on ferries ready to party.

Another 400 teenagers are celebrating aboard an armada of private boats moored around the island, while 8000 are in Dunsborough and across WA's South-West.

In Dunsborough, officers issued 10 move-on notices on Friday night, seven to "toolies'' and three to leavers.

Another "toolie'' was taken to hospital with minor injuries when he was hit by a slow-moving bus in Dunsborough.

Police said 5400 wristbands were sold for special events on the Friday night and it was shaping up to be the biggest leavers gathering in the South-West.

Sgt Peter Bahen, officer-in-charge of Rottnest Island, said police would continue their zero tolerance towards "toolies'' and would evict any adults who were on the island without a legitimate reason.

"We have quite a few toolies on the island and I think that is because this year's leavers event falls on a weekend,'' Sgt Bahen said.

"They are posing a bit of a problem because they have nowhere to stay.

"They have no business being around these kids - it's their weekend.

"Some have been taken off by our police vessel but we can't continue that all night and it becomes a Rottnest Island Authority issue, not a police issue because they are not breaking any laws.''

Sgt Bahen said the behaviour of school leavers had generally been pleasing.

Police had a strong presence on the island, backed up by the Dog Squad, Water Police and Liquor Enforcement Unit. Leavers intent on causing trouble would be immediately evicted from the island, Sgt Bahen said.

"What will happen to them is that they'll be off the island so quickly their feet won't even touch the ground,'' he said.

Sgt Bahen said police sniffer dogs had detected traces of drugs on day-trippers, but bag searches had not revealed anything untoward and no charges had been laid.

"The operation of the dogs here is as a deterrent and I'm happy enough to say they've had no hits on any schoolies,'' he said.

In Dunsborough, temporary accommodation was provided to about 140 schoolies in the Dunsborough Playing Fields after fire forced the closure of the Prevelly Park Caravan Park in Margaret River.

However only about 30 schoolies took up the offer last night by staying at the site.

"I'm feeling pretty cut...and I've got a sore throat from drinking," said one Dunsborough school leaver this morning who wished not to be named.

In his third night sleeping under the stars, Ben Pearson,18, said he was "happy but cold" sleeping at the playing fields.

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