A magistrate says it's a "shocking indictment" there are no services in the community to properly look after a mentally impaired alleged car thief and burglar.
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But Magistrate Bernadette Boss said the risk Jermaine Goolagong would reoffend – particularly behind the wheel of a car – left her no choice but to keep him locked up.
"Frankly it's a shocking indictment on us in the ACT that we're not able to provide something more appropriate," Dr Boss said today.
But the magistrate said she was satisfied the 18-year-old was likely to reoffend.
"Were there any other option than the AMC [Alexander Maconochie Centre] I would take it," she said.
Dr Boss said there was a "huge, appalling gap in the provision of services for people in Mr Goolagong's position".
"It's truly shocking and it grieves me terribly to have to deprive him of his liberty, but in all the circumstances there's nothing I can do."
Goolagong's liberty has hung in the balance in a bail application drawn out across two weeks.
He is facing the ACT Magistrates Court on a string of charges including burglary, car theft, dangerous driving and failing to give assistance after a crash.
The teenager was already on bail for charges including the alleged theft of two high-performance cars when he allegedly got back behind the wheel and crashed into another car.
The occupants of the other vehicle suffered minor injuries.
A psychiatrist has found Goolagong unfit to plead, but the prosecution disputes the report.
A decision on the fitness to plead issue is expected later this year after the court has heard more evidence.
The court has previously heard the teenager has an extremely low IQ and was functioning "well below a normal level".
But prosecutor Shane Drumgold has questioned how Goolagong, if he was mentally impaired, was able to obtain a learner driver's licence.
Goolagong's employer at a recycling centre today described the defendant as a hard-working, respected employee, and said he was holding his job for him.
And the accused man's mother, at an earlier hearing, said her son's job had been a godsend in his life.
She said she was prepared to tell police if he breached any strict bail conditions Dr Boss might impose.
But today the court heard evidence from a mental health expert who said there was a "known gap" in the ability to treat people like Goolagong in the ACT.
Dr Boss refused the bail application and Goolagong's lawyer, Michael Lalor, flagged an intention to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
The fitness to plead hearing is due to continue in December.
