5 hours ago
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A Perth teenager has been charged with a sex offence after he attempted to lure a young boy away from a park in the northern suburbs at the weekend.
Police said they charged the 14-year-old boy with indecent dealings with a child under 13 and two counts of deprivation of liberty after the incident on Saturday.
It is alleged the victim, who was 11-years-old, was playing basketball at Butterworth Park in Koondoola about 5pm when the teenager tried to lead him away from the reserve.
The boy tried to get help from a nearby group of people, and police say the teenager then followed him as he walked through a laneway toward Waddington Crescent.
The boy was eventually able to run away.
A WA police spokesperson said on Monday the teenager had since been charged over the incident by the child abuse squad, and would appear in Perth Children’s Court on Tuesday.
“Child Abuse Squad detectives urge parents, carers, and community members to remain alert when
children are in public places such as aquatic centres, playgrounds, and sporting venues,” they said.
“Close supervision and simple safety conversations can help reduce risk.”
