Man charged with murder after another man dies at Gilberton block of flats
A man accused of murdering a resident in a block of flats has appeared in court as locals living near the Gilberton property say it’s just one of a string of incidents over the years.
Police & Courts
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A man has been charged with murder after the death of a man at Gilberton, in Adelaide’s inner northeast, on Saturday night.
The incident is the second major crime for the block of flats in three years in the affluent area, following a murder in April 2017.
Police and paramedics were called to a block of flats in James St just before 9.30pm on Saturday after reports a resident had been seriously assaulted.
The 63-year-old victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives and forensic examiners attended the scene overnight.
Just after 3am on Sunday, a man was arrested at Underdale.
Police charged with 45-year-old Gilberton man with murder on Sunday afternoon after interviewing him.
They say this was not a random attack, and the men were known to each other.
On Monday the man appeared briefly in court and did not apply for bail.
The identity of the man and the 63-year-old man was suppressed as investigations continue.
A concerned member of the community who lives on James St wrote a letter to The Advertiser, saying residents and neighbours are living in fear of the incidents that occur within the Housing SA-owned block, Mellor Court.
“Multiple times we have witnessed anti-social behaviour inside and outside of Mellor Court, theft and drug dealing,” the man wrote.
After reporting incidents to police, local council and Housing SA, the man recommends a 24- hour superintendent on site, CCTV cameras installed and a gate with swipe-card access installed.
“Housing SA in conjunction with the State Government needs to take responsibility and take decisive action to swiftly address this situation,” he said.
A resident in the block of flats, Christopher Tolfrey, was watching TV last night and didn’t hear the commotion.
Mr Tolfrey said he was in the process of relocating to Ingle Farm to feel safer, as he cares for his eight-year-old son at weekends.
“People say it’s is not a safe area to bring my son here but it’s the only time I have with him,” he said.
The man said he often heard screaming in the area, and the alleged murder was not surprising.
“I half expected something like this to happen,” he said.
Another resident referred to the units as “the killing fields”.
Robin Sparrow, another resident of the block, saw the scene from his window when police arrived.
Mr Sparrow, has lived in the block for 18 years, and said there were “weird” people in the flats.
“I sometimes hear a bit of noise and I see them walking along and they look like someone out of some sort of Hollywood murder movie.
“I would not be surprised if there was a mass murderer or something (living) here.”
On April 18, 2017, police found a woman unconscious in the bathroom of a unit bleeding heavily from a stab wound to the leg around midnight. The 38-year-old woman died in hospital two days later.
A 41-year-old man of no fixed address was later charged with murder.
Minister Human Services Michelle Lensink said her department will continue to engage with residents and tenants regarding issues at the site.
“The State Government is currently proactively undertaking $2.5 million in maintenance works to improve the safety, security, amenity and appearance of the Mellor Court site,” she said.
“Works include the installation of security screens on doors and windows and demolishing external laundries which were an identified security risk.”