19-year-old charged with murder following fatal stabbing of Declan Laverty at the Airport Tavern

A teenager charged with the murder of 20-year-old bottle shop worker Declan Laverty was also charged with breaching bail after an earlier ‘bladed weapon’ assault, a court has heard.

Declan Laverty, 20, was allegedly stabbed to death at The Airport Tavern in Darwin about 9pm Sunday, March 19, 2023. Police are investigating a string of other incidents leading up to his death at the Jingili tavern. Picture: Facebook

A teenager charged with the stabbing murder of Declan Laverty was on bail at the time following an earlier alleged assault “involving a bladed weapon”, a court has heard.

Keith Kerinauia, 19, faced the Darwin Local Court on Tuesday charged with the 20-year-old bottle shop attendant’s murder as well as aggravated robbery and breach of bail.

Crown prosecutor Marty Aust said Kerinauia had been due to return to court on April 13 for the previous alleged assault and asked that that hearing be vacated and relisted with the other charges.

“It’s an allegation of an aggravated assault involving a bladed weapon, your honour, and so for obvious reasons it might be relevant to this (new alleged offending),” he said.

Mr Aust also asked for an “extended brief service order” of more than two months “given the nature of the primary charge”.

Defence lawyer Shane McMaster said there would be no bail application and judge Tanya Fong Lim remanded Kerinauia in custody and adjourned the case until May 24 for a preliminary examination mention.

Defence lawyer Shane McMaster outside court on Tuesday. Picture: Jason Walls

Earlier, police alleged the teenager stabbed Mr Laverty at the Airport Tavern bottleshop on Sunday evening.

They alleged Kerinauia was in a blue 2014 Toyota Camry which pulled up at the Jingili business just before closing time at 9pm.

Another adult was initially refused service, but returned to the store to make a lawful purchase.

Police alleged that around the time of that transaction the Kerinauia repeatedly stabbed Mr Laverty.

The group then allegedly fled the scene.

Police said the 19-year-old and his co-accused, a 15-year-old and 16-year-old, also faced charges in relation to an alleged robbery in Karama and a violent booze theft at the Beachfront Hotel, Rapid Creek.

The children are not accused of being involved in the fatal stabbing.

Police have alleged the 19-year-old was in a blue 2014 Toyota Camry which pulled up at the Jingili business just before closing time at 9pm.

It will be alleged three hours before the fatal stabbing, a worker at the Beachfront Hotel was hit in the head with a bottle of stolen booze, after trying to stop people stealing alcohol about 6pm.

The three teenagers also allegedly assaulted and robbed a young person who was walking around Karama at 8pm.

Police confirmed a 15-year-old and 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will also face court today charged with two counts of aggravated assault in relation to the Beachfront and Karama alleged incidents.

A 17-year-old boy, who was arrested on Monday night, was charged with aggravated assault in relation to the alleged Rapid Creek incident.

He was bailed to appear in court on April 17.

Police said the investigation was ongoing, and appealed to the public for help.

Investigators are searching for CCTV or dash camera footage which captured the movements of a 2014 blue Toyota Camry with Northern Territory registration CE71BI between 5pm Sunday and 4am Monday.

It was suspected the vehicle was travelling in the Karama, Alawa, Coconut Grove, Jingili and Rapid Creek areas.

Originally published as 19-year-old charged with murder following fatal stabbing of Declan Laverty at the Airport Tavern