Jayme Sykes’ mother calls for knife reform following son’s alleged murder

A devastated mother is calling for tightened knife restrictions she says could become her late son’s legacy, after he was allegedly fatally stabbed in central Geelong.

Jayme ‘Chugs’ Sykes, who police allege was murdered in Geelong’s CBD on Sunday morning, and his mother Sally-Anne Beal.

The grieving Corio mother of a young man allegedly murdered in Geelong’s CBD wants tightened knife restrictions to become her late son’s legacy.

Sally-Anne Beal, whose son Jayme ‘Chugs’ Sykes was allegedly fatally stabbed on Little Malop St after leaving a nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning, believes there “has to be tougher laws”.

“How the f--- do people carry knives out there?” Ms Beal said.

“I’m going to make sure that those knives are regulated, because people carry them everywhere.”

Ms Beal said she was determined to ensure her son’s death wasn’t in vain, suggesting new legislation around knives should be dubbed “Chugs’ Law”.

Corio man Jayme “Chugs” Sykes is being remembered by his mother as having “the biggest heart.”

“I’ve been angry, just so angry,” she said.

“But now I’ve come to my senses, maybe this is his legacy, maybe his purpose in life was to stop this ever happening again.”

It’s a vision Ms Beal said she was determined to make a reality.

“I will make sure this gets changed,” she said.

“Trust me, I will go to f---ing beyond to make laws, like the coward’s punch (laws).”

According to Crime Stoppers, the punishment for carrying a knife is up to one year in prison.

Tributes on Little Malop St near where Mr Sykes was allegedly murdered.

Ms Beal said her son, affectionately know as ‘Chugs’ since he was a baby, had the “biggest heart”.

“You have no idea,” Ms Beal said.

“That boy would do anything for anyone, and everyone knew it.

“He wasn’t great at school, but when he got into barbering, he found his place.”

Tragically, the 20-year-old from Corio was meant to begin a new job as a barber on Monday.

A card read “I will love you forever and ever.”

Ms Beal said her son would regularly care for friends in times of need.

“It was an open house, everyone was welcome here,” she said.

“He used to say, ‘oh mum, so and so has been kicked out of home, can he live with us?’”

She said her son was best friends with Blake Laity, a Corio man who tragically died in a head-on collision on the Great Ocean Road last year.

Mr Sykes died on the one year anniversary of Mr Laity’s funeral.

“He struggled last week because it was the anniversary of Blake’s death,” Ms Beal said.

“He had Blake’s photo in his car.

Blake Laity, who died in a head-on collision last year, was a close friend of Mr Sykes.

“He’s had to go through so much, but he was still strong for me, I’ve had my own issues, and that boy never left my side ever, he was my rock.”

Ms Beal said her son “lived a lot”.

“He just lived every single day, there was never a dull moment in this house,” she said.

The northern suburbs community has shown an outpouring of support for the family, something Ms Beal said she was “proud” of.

“People say the wrong things about Corio, time and time again, they smear this place, but I tell you what, they’re brothers,” Ms Beal said.

“People think they’re all rough and tough, but they have hearts of gold, just like (Jayme.)

“I’m so glad he grew up here, because he had 100 houses he could go to if he ever wanted a friend.”

Colac man James Farquhar, 26, faced the Geelong Magistrates’ Court on Monday afternoon charged with one count of murder over the death Mr Sykes.

No application for bail was made, and Mr Farquhar will appear in court in February next year for a committal mention.

Originally published as Jayme Sykes’ mother calls for knife reform following son’s alleged murder