by Simon Handby on 14.01.08 
Loading ...Last year saw a rash of stories about teenage parties that, when advertised through social networks such as MySpace and Facebook, fell victim to huge numbers of uninvited guests.
In April, a house in County Durham sustained around £20,000 damage after a MySpace party invite attracted 200 guests, rather than the 30 or 40 planned. A Harrogate house was damaged almost as badly in July. We’re not sure whether the average home insurance policy covers that kind of damage, but one can safely assume that a few stiff words were spoken in both cases.
However, one teenager in Melbourne is really in trouble. Sixteen-year-old Corey Delaney has attracted the opprobrium of not just his parents, but of Victoria’s acting state premier and the local police commissioner, after 500 people descended on a house party he publicised via text message and MySpace. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), many neighbours cowered in terror as hundreds of teenagers set about smashing up the neighbourhood.
The police response included a helicopter callout. Commissioner Christine Nixon is said to be considering passing on the 20,000-Australian-dollar costs.
“I understand he’s 16 years old, and many young people at 16 don’t quite deal with the implications of their actions well enough,” she said. “But I think he needs to learn a lesson, and I think that one way or another, we’ll do that.”
Corey’s mother Jo, who was in Queensland at the time of the party, said: “We’re a good family. I’m just devastated and horrified that this has actually occurred.
“Obviously he’s very scared of the consequences that we’re going to bring upon him.”
But Corey appeared unabashed. Asked for his advice to other teenagers planning a party he said: “Get me to do it for you.”
“Best party ever, that’s what everyone’s saying.”
IMAGE by Flickr user Nocturnales
