Teen convicted for plotting Christchurch terror attack gets more independence

Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct where Judge Stephen O'Driscoll gets regular progress reports on the teenager convicted of plotting a terror attack.

A teenager convicted for plotting a terror attack in Christchurch has had his strict monitoring conditions relaxed to allow him some more independence as his road to rehabilitation continues.

The youth, now 18, was radicalised online when he didn't go through with a plan to ram a car into a group of people and then stab them. He later told police he had "done it for Allah".

The teen was sentenced to intensive supervision when he appeared at Christchurch District Court earlier this year.

Court-imposed suppression orders prevent further details from being published, including his name.

He has been coming to court, initially every month and latterly every second month, for Judge Stephen O'Driscoll to get progress reports on his judicial monitoring.

Today, the judge amended one of his supervision conditions to "test the waters" by giving him "some level of independence".

Judge O'Driscoll told the teenager that he would "trust you to do the things you are asked to do".

The teen was praised for showing "a degree of maturity" by telling the court that he did not want to return home for Christmas because he saw it as a "high-risk situation".

A report from Community Corrections last month raised "a couple of negative things", which resulted in the judge telling him he had to keep his emotions in check.

The teen had invited the judge, police, and Crown for a festive season BBQ at his supervised accommodation but the judge said he'd have to see a good positive report before anyone would come.

The teen is due back in court for a further judicial monitoring update on January 16.