Dylan Voller - the teen inmate at the centre of the Northern Territory's royal commission into juvenile justice - will have a "test run" at freedom with early release into a youth rehabilitation scheme.
Voller has been granted bail by the Northern Territory Supreme Court to spend the next 16 weeks in the Alice Springs-based Bush Mob rehabilitation program.
If that goes well, the 19-year-old's remaining months of his near four-year jail sentence for attempted robbery, aggravated robbery and endangering serious harm to a police officer could be suspended.
In his decision on Thursday, Justice Peter Barr said the release on bail would give Voller the opportunity to demonstrate good behaviour in the community.
"It would be, in effect, a test run to see whether the court could have sufficient confidence in Mr Voller to be persuaded that his existing sentence should be replaced by a partially suspended sentence," the judge said.
Voller was jailed in 2014 for a violent, ice-fuelled crime spree and was not due for release until October this year.
The NT royal commission was sparked when footage of him being tear-gassed, spit-hooded and shackled in the youth prison system was aired on national television last year.
During his release application, counsel for Voller told the court he was a changed man.
But the crown opposed his release, arguing his past behaviour suggested he was likely to reoffend.
Judge Barr said he agreed with a pre-sentence report that concluded Voller stood to gain valuable life skills by taking part in the rehabilitation program.
"I place considerable emphasis on the needs of Dylan to be free for the lawful purpose of participating in the Bush Mob program with a view to his successful re-integration into the community," he said.
"I acknowledge that there is a risk that, if released on bail, Dylan Voller would commit an offence or a breach of the conditions of bail.
"But I consider that the proposed conditions of bail are very restrictive and minimise the risk."
Included in those conditions are a ban on alcohol, random drug testing, counselling and electronic monitoring.
Voller's application for reconsideration of his sentence will return to court on April 27.
