Pubdate: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 Source: Age, The (Australia) Copyright: 1999 David Syme & Co Ltd Contact: http://www.theage.com.au/ Author: Steve Butcher $20,000 HEROIN HAUL ON BOY, 13 A brilliant 13-year-old mathematics student trafficked in almost $20,000 of heroin to raise money to play amusement games. The boy's appearance in the Children's Court was his third since last May on charges of trafficking and possessing heroin. He was put on good behavior bonds for the previous offences, prompting a magistrate to comment yesterday that while the boy had not responded to those sentences - including one last week - he had ``effectively been placed back on the streets with ... no supervision''. Police said the boy, a year 8 student who also excelled at computers and chess but did not use heroin, was arrested at 11.15pm on Monday on a Werribee street with a co-offender, aged 17. Sergeant Tim Allen, prosecuting, said the boy threw two silver foils on to the nature strip. They were found to contain a white rock substance that he admitted was heroin. Sergeant Allen said the rocks weighed seven grams and if sold in separate ``hits'' would have realised close to $20,000. The boy pleaded guilty to trafficking and possessing heroin, stating a false name and address and possessing the proceeds of crime, a mobile telephone. Mr Robert Thyssen, defending, told the court the boy was ranked in the top 5per cent for mathematics in a schools competition and had great potential. He became ``very much involved in the arcade games'' and wanted to put money into them, but his family could not afford it. He had been drawn into the crimes and it had ``spiralled out of control'', Mr Thyssen said. After two days in custody, he had a ``taste of where this can go'', had seen the effect on his family and was keen to ``turn things around''. His mother, who was in court with his older sister, was not sure where he was on Monday night, he said. The magistrate bailed the boy on conditions that included an 8pm to 7am curfew and that he attend a minimum of two weekly meetings with a juvenile justice worker. Sentencing has been adjourned. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea