Rose Tattoo singer Angry Anderson’s son Liam allegedly killed by one of his closest mates
A HIGH-PROFILE barrister for the man accused of murdering the son of Australian rocker Angry Anderson said “lightning has struck twice” — once for the deceased and again for his “devastated” best friend.
NSW
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A HIGH-PROFILE barrister for the man accused of murdering the son of Australian rocker Angry Anderson said “lightning has struck twice” — once for the deceased and again for his “devastated” best friend.
Charles Waterstreet said his client, 20-year-old Mathew Flame, was “devastated” and that he and 26-year-old Liam Anderson met years ago and had become “best friends”.
“It’s a double tragedy for two very very good families and two very very good boys,” Mr Waterstreet said.
Flame allegedly beat Liam Anderson to death in a Northern Beaches park just after 6am Sunday.
He smiled to his distraught mother, who had been to visit him in the cells, in Manly Local Court today where he was denied bail and ordered to undergo a mental health assessment in custody.
Flame had a visibly swollen right hand in the dock and appeared calm.
The charges were adjourned to January 29.
Flame’s mother said nothing as she left court with her hand over her face.
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But a statement released to the Telegraph by the Flame family stated Liam was considered “one of their own”.
“The Flame family are absolutely beside themselves. They regarded Liam as one of their own,” the statement said.
“Their hearts go out to the Anderson family. It is undoubtedly the most difficult time that those families are going to have to endure,” the statement said.
“It is absolutely imperative that the community keep an open mind about these tragic circumstances.”
Police claim they arrived at Pavilion Reserve in Queenscliff about 6am to find Liam Anderson, 26, still being battered by a man, allegedly Anderson’s friend Mathew Flame.
“It was quite a bloody scene,” said Detective Inspector Michael Boutouridis.
“The man we have in custody was violent and it took a number of police officers to subdue and arrest him. Capsicum spray was used — OC spray — and significant force was used to arrest him.”
Plumbing apprentice Flame, 20, was taken to Manly police station.
Police said it was “quite possible” the attacker may have been affected by drugs.
It is understood Liam, who lived in Beacon Hill, and Flame, from nearby Narraweena on the Northern Beaches, had been out together in the city. They moved on to a party in an apartment near the park and then left together.
Both are close mates on Facebook, with Flame’s posts featuring UFC boxers. They attended the Defqon1 music festival together. Liam wrote a “shout” to his friend “for being a real one, love ya mate x”.
Friends commented that the two were “obsessed with each other”.
But yesterday residents in the multimillion-dollar properties flanking the Queenscliff park were woken by the sound of a man moaning for at least 30 minutes before police arrived. Many dismissed the noise as a morning boot camp exercise class.
Kim Luker said: “I just heard a lot of — say for at least half an hour — moaning.
“We thought it was really loud exhaling,” she said. “We should have looked out, but we didn’t — because we’ve looked out so many times over 18 years. And it just sounded like boot camp, a guy doing boot camp — running up the hill and exhaling.”
Sandy Lewis, 53, said she got out of bed as her neighbours were calling police. “It was a high-pitched moaning,” she said.
“It sounded like someone really cranky. It was a really strange sort of noise … we got up and looked around and next thing the police were there. I heard them yelling ‘get down’.”
An emergency services chopper landed to fly Liam to hospital but he was pronounced dead on takeoff.
Police were made aware of Liam’s identity minutes after the attack but the severity of his injuries left him unrecognisable. It was several hours before all his family, including his father, were tracked down and informed of his death.
Angry Anderson, 71, had been performing with Rose Tattoo in Perth on the second-last date of the band’s 40th anniversary tour on Saturday night. Eldest son Galen broke the news to him over the phone yesterday.
Anderson’s manager Scot Crawford released a statement saying: “The family will not be making any comment at this stage.”
Yesterday afternoon Liam’s friends arrived at the park to open beers and share tears over their friend.
They tied roses to a pole in the park with a note which said: “There are no words to express our sorrow in losing you … Our tears we can wipe away — the ache in our hearts will always stay. We will always miss your funny, cheeky ways. You were a loving friend and a great mate.”
Brookvale Primary School friend Rebekkah Smits remembered Liam as a talented musician: “He always knew how to cheer me up and would reach out from time to time to check in with me and drop me his latest track he was working on.”
Another classmate, Katrina Lofthouse, said: “It’s absolutely heartbreaking. He had such a kind soul.”
Liam, who lived with his father at Beacon Hill, had previously faced struggles, with his mum Lindy writing on Facebook that the youngest of their four children had been “doing it pretty rough in Sydney” and had spent time with her in Byron Bay.