The 18-year-old who allegedly killed a Darwin supermarket owner on Wednesday afternoon was on bail for multiple violent offences at the time of the stabbing, including sexual intercourse with a child under 16, depriving a person of their liberty, assaulting police and spitting on emergency workers, The Australian has reported.
He was charged with murder on Thursday night.
The teen, who turned 18 three days ago and cannot be named for legal reasons, was in the NT Supreme Court last week on numerous charges, but had his bail continued. Police said he was not fitted with an electronic ankle monitor, but was ordered to remain in a remote community.
Police allege the 18-year-old male stabbed Nightcliff supermarket owner Linford Feick, 71, after Mr Feick confronted him for stealing items from the store around 5:15pm Wednesday afternoon and fled on a bicycle.
Patrons in the store provided first aid and emergency services attended and performed CPR but Mr Feick was later pronounced dead.
The alleged offender turned himself into the Palmerston Police Station around 12:35am Thursday morning. NT Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said it was a “dark day for the Northern Territory”.
“This matter is currently under investigation by our crime team, with support from a myriad of other specialist areas,” he said. “A full investigation strategy is in play and we’re also investigating this matter on behalf of the coroner.”
Charges were laid Thursday evening, with the male remanded in custody to appear in Darwin Local Court on Monday.
The Nightcliff stabbing death has drawn comparisons to the death of bottle shop worker Declan Laverty, who was stabbed by 19-year-old Keith Kerinauia two years ago at the Airport Tavern bottleshop while working his shift. Kerinauia was also on bail at the time for aggravated robbery and aggravated assault, weeks before killing Mr Laverty.
The CLP ran a tough on crime political campaign at last August’s Territory election highlighting Mr Laverty’s death and later passing legislation called ‘Declan’s Law’ once elected, which was meant to provide a presumption against bail for serious violent offences, as well as giving police ‘wanding’ powers to find concealed weapons on people in the community.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro issued a video statement on Wednesday night, stating that the stabbing incident was “devastating” and pledging that “everything is on the table” and later wrote on social media that there would be “high visible policing to reassure the community” on Thursday.
Ms Finocchiaro also said on ABC Radio that Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby had been told to contact the Chief Justice and “plead” with him.
“I’ve asked the Attorney-General to reach out to the Chief Justice [Michael Grant] today, and just plead with the judiciary to really be exercising great caution in the decision-making that they undertake on a daily basis, while respecting that separation [of powers],” she said.
“There is absolutely a separation, but it is about asking them to be really, really careful on behalf of the safety of the community.”
