The trio, from Bomaderry and Worrigee, have been charged with a variety of offences including affray, having custody of an offensive implement in a public place, stalk or intimidate with the intention to cause fear of physical or mental harm, assault and with being in custody of a knife in a public place.

Evidence before the court said police were called to an alleged brawl at the intersection of Kinghorne and Junction streets in Nowra at 2.25pm on November 1, where it was reported a young man was in possession of a knife.

As police arrived, it is alleged the group, which included the three accused, ran through Junction Court in the direction of the Princes Highway.

With police in pursuit, officers observed a silver knife fall out of the pocket of one of the accused onto the ground in Junction Court.

Despite calls to stop, one of the youths continued to run, jumping the metal fencing in the middle of the highway before he was caught by officers on the vacant block of land adjacent to Stockland Nowra.

The 16-year-old from Worrigee was questioned about being in possession of the knife and was alleged to have said, “I had it in my pants, it’s not mine though…it’s to protect myself. I was scared”.

The youth also said he was not involved in the incident in Junction Street in which two men and woman were allegedly threatened and assaulted, but an independent witness later stated the youth had produced the knife during the brawl.

Following further investigations he was charged with three counts of common assault, affray and with being in custody of a knife in a public place.

Following police investigations, a 16-year-old Bomaderry youth was charged with affray and with being custody of an offensive implement in a public place.

Police allege the youth was in possession of a metal saddle post and saddle that had been removed from the bike frame.

A 16-year-old Worrigee youth was also charged with affray and stalk or intimidate with the intention to cause fear of physical or mental harm.

Magistrate Graham Blewitt continued bail for all three, ordering one to reappear in Nowra Children’s Court on January 8 and the other two on February 2.