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A boy who threw a house party that ended in a near-riot of 500 people has acquired celebrity status, striking a magazine deal, fielding lucrative offers to promote under-age events and inspiring supporters worldwide on social networking websites, Paul Larter reports from Brisbane.

Days ago Corey Delaney was just another 16-year-old who decided to party while his parents were out, but defiant performances in the media and his stubborn refusal to return home and face the music have transformed him into a poster boy of teenage rebellion. The thin youth with bleached-blond hair has appeared on prime-time national television in oversized plastic yellow sunglasses and a hooded camouflage jacket left open to expose a bare chest and a pierced nipple, nonchalantly declaring that he was planning another party — though at a different venue.

In an interview seen by thousands on YouTube, he explains that the party was originally intended as “just a get-together with a couple of mates” and makes a half-hearted apology to his parents’ neighbours. But when asked his advice for other teenagers thinking about hosting a party while their parents were away, he brazenly suggests that he will run it for them.

The interviewer advises him to “go away and take a long hard look” at himself. He replies: “I have. Everybody has. They love it.”

The youth has been staying with friends and has refused to take calls from his parents since the party in their house in the Melbourne suburbs — which he advertised on MySpace and by text message — spiralled out of control on Saturday night. As wave after wave of revellers arrived, neighbours raised the alarm and 30 police officers, a helicopter and dog squad were needed to subdue the crowd, while police cars were pelted with bottles, bricks were thrown and letterboxes smashed. The police commissioner and premier of Victoria state have addressed the media on the subject and police have threatened to hand Corey a A$20,000 (£9,000) clean-up bill.

The community is divided, with the tone of thousands of newspaper blog entries reflected in a heated debate among contributors to Wikipedia about whether his entry should stay. He was kicked out. Corey has since been seen relaxing at a Melbourne beach with girls. His father, Steve, who with Corey’s mother, Jo, rushed back from a holiday 1,600km (995 miles) away to find the family home in a “disgusting” state, described him as a “show pony” who needed punishing and appealed for him to come home.

Police caught up with Corey yesterday, charging him with producing child pornography and creating a public nuisance. It is not known what the pornography charge allegedly relates to. His brush with the law is likely only to enhance his standing, with supporters banding together on social networking websites.

The commercial potential of such notoriety has already been seized on, with one Sydney promoter saying that he would be prepared to pay the teenager up to A$10,000 to stage parties. Commercial radio stations have been calling and Corey has reportedly done a deal with Zoo Weekly magazine.

Party pariahs

— Laurie Raye’s Tacoma home was stripped bare after an anonymous advert was posted on Craigslist reading: “Help yourself, everything is free”

— An invitation posted on YouTube led to 100 gatecrashers causing havoc at a 16th birthday party in Chippenham

— Strangers caused £20,000 damage to Rachel Bell’s Sunderland home after she posted an invitation on MySpace while her family was on a caravan holiday

Source: Agencies

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