‘Something has to be done’: Samara Laverty welcomes CLP plan for tougher bail

Returning to the scene where her son was murdered, Samara Laverty welcomed the proposed reforms as ‘a first step’ to help prevent a similar tragedy befalling another Territory family.

Declans mother Samara Laverty welcomed the CLPs plan to tighten bail laws as a ‘first step’ to help prevent a similar tragedy befalling another family. Picture: Fia Walsh.

The Country Liberal Party has revealed a suite of bail reforms under the name of Declan’s Law that it says would help “prevent another senseless death” like that of Declan Laverty.

Samara Laverty, mother of the murdered bottleshop worker, said she believed her son could still be alive had there been earlier interventions in the life of his killer, Keith Kerinauia.

“It breaks my heart – at the end of the day Declan was everyone’s kid that could have been at work, there were so many sliding door moments,” Ms Laverty said, speaking on Thursday from the Airport Tavern BWS where the fatal stabbing occurred.

“If Mr Kerinauia’s behaviour had been checked and corrected at any point, he would not have been in that location and I would still have my son.

Declan Laverty, left, and his murderer Keith Kerinauia. Picture: Zizi Averill

“Something has to be done to prevent other families going through this living hell as a result of the current weak bail laws.

“It is a multifaceted and multigenerational problem, and all of it needs addressing.

“Someone has to start, and these proposed reforms are a beginning.”

Just less than two months after Kerinauia was handed a life sentence, Ms Laverty said her family was still struggling to cope with Declan’s loss.

“This will never go away for us,” she said.

“My daughter sat through every moment of the trial, she watched everything that happened to her brother. These are images none of us will ever get out of our head.”

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro comforts Samara Laverty at the bottleshop where Declan Laverty was murdered. Picture: Fia Walsh.

Ms Laverty said she was struck by how intelligent and articulate her son’s killer seemed during his trial.

“Kerinauia’s previous behaviour shows that at no point was that behaviour checked, to guide him onto a better path and use that intelligence for something that could have made him an amazing person.

“I don’t want to see that for any other kid, because it’s not just us that have suffered, it’s his family as well.

“Whatever he may have had as his dreams for his future, they’re gone as well.”

The CLP pledged to implement Declan’s Law in “week one of parliament” to ensure presumption against bail for all serious violent offences – expanding the definition to include “offensive weapons” such as rocks, baseball bats and glass bottles.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro reveals the CLPs plan to tighten bail laws under the banner of Declans Law. Declans mother Samara Laverty welcomed the move as a start to help prevent a similar tragedy befalling another family. Picture: Fia Walsh.

The reforms would capture more first-time offenders charged with an aggravated assault or other serious violence offence.

Under current laws, by comparison, the offender would be more likely to be granted bail by police, before facing court.

Declan’s Law would also ensure presumption against bail for anyone found guilty of two or more offences in the previous two years, and for those alleged to have committed another crime while on bail.

Mandatory electronic monitoring would be introduced if a repeat offender is granted bail or reoffends while on bail, and breach of bail would be reinstated as an offence for youths.

While youths are not currently charged with an offence for breaching bail, their bail is automatically revoked if a breach occurs.

“The current legislation does not go far enough to protect Territorians,” Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said.

“The CLP will expand the list of weapons to include offensive weapons.

“This means if you steal a car and try to run someone over, you will start with a position of no bail. The same for rock throwing, which can inflict just as much harm as a knife.

“These important bail reforms target serial offenders who repeatedly put the community at risk and make them accountable for their crimes.”

Police Minister Brent Potter said if Mrs Finocchiaro “thinks that the first week of parliament is going to solve every problem in the Northern Territory, she is sorely mistaken”.

“She doesn’t understand the complexity of what is required to do this job,” he said.

“We have done bail changes in 2021 for youth. We’ve done a bail review for adults. To say that there isn’t an offence that comes with breaching bail is a complete lie and just taking Territorians for schmucks.

“The CLP simply think that it’s about mandatory sentencing - that’s their solution to crime ... they think that they can legislate their way out of this.”

Originally published as ‘Something has to be done’: Samara Laverty welcomes CLP plan for tougher bail