Cairns mum shares grief after Darwin bottleshop stabbing of son Declan Laverty
A Queensland mum has shared her son’s final words to her after he was fatally stabbed at a Darwin bottleshop.
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“I love you mum, I’ve been stabbed.”
These words were the last text 20-year-old Declan Laverty was able to send to his mother after he was fatally stabbed at a Darwin bottleshop on Sunday evening.
As the message flashed on her phone, his mother Samara Laverty felt her heart break.
“That is the last I will ever hear from my boy,” Ms Laverty said.
She knew her child was in danger but 2600km separated the Cairns mum from her 20-year-old son.
“He was meant to come home soon for a visit,” Ms Laverty said.
“My heart and soul are broken.”
Ms Laverty described her son as a smart, funny and loving young man — now robbed of the future he may have led.
“His amazing life that he was just starting out his journey on will never be fulfilled,” she said.
“He will never fall in love.
“He will never marry.
“He will never be a dad.
“His life, his future, our future have been completely stripped away.”
Ms Laverty said Declan was a smart, loving and talented young man, and a keen AFL player.
“He loved me, his sister, his animals, especially his dog Castiel and cat Cookie,” she said.
Ms Laverty said on Monday she flew from her Queensland home to Darwin but on arrival was confronted with further violence.
She said while at a Darwin supermarket she had a stone thrown at her back and was spat on and abused.
“I cannot wait to get my poor son out of this hellhole,” Ms Laverty said.
Keith Kerinauia, 19, faced the Darwin Local Court on Tuesday charged with the 20-year-old bottleshop attendant’s murder as well as aggravated robbery and breach of bail.
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.
Mr Laverty’s father was sent a similar final message before his son died: “Love you, been stabbed”.
The man says his 20-year-old son Declan Laverty messaged him just before he died from stab wounds at the Airport Tavern bottleshop in Darwin’s northern suburbs on Sunday night.
The father, who did not give his name, called in to Darwin radio station Mix 104.9 on Monday morning and spoke to host Katie Woolf.
“He’s a wonderful, opinionated, strong lad,” the father said of his son.
“A typical 20-year-old. He’s only been up in the Territory the last two years.
“He’s from Queensland and Cairns before that.
“He loved his football, and he was really into music at the moment. He was trying to get some songs released and working 30-odd hours at the pub at the airport.”
The father said Declan had previously been subject to violent behaviour by others at his workplace.
“He’s had screwdriver pulled on him only a few weeks ago,” he said.
“One of the other staff members has been physically attacked and he couldn’t come back to work.
“They get attacked quite often at that particular one as far as I am aware. He was looking for another job. He just couldn’t handle it anymore.
“It’s getting very very bad out there for everyone. Whether it’s my son or someone else.
“Something needs to be done.”
The father, who attended the scene after the incident, said he was still trying to come to terms with his son’s death.
“They’re just little things. When I come home his dinner is in the fridge from last night.
“It’s incredibly difficult.”
The comments come amid growing calls for action to prevent more knife violence, and tributes for the young worker.
Hospitality NT contacted the venue and its staff to offer support, and said in a statement it planned to contact the family.
“It is with a heavy heart that we come together today to mourn the loss of one of our own,” a spokesman said.
“This valued member of our industry came to work yesterday like thousands of other staff around the country to provide a service to others and to earn a living.
“His life was cut short by a heinous act of violence.
“The hospitality industry of the NT and around Australia stands in mourning today.”
Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) spokesman Shlok Sharma said the union was “devastated” to learn of the worker’s death.
“This is an incredibly tragic incident and our thoughts go out to his loved ones and workmates during this difficult time,” Mr Sharma said.
“All workers deserve a safe workplace that is free of any hazards or threats to their safety.
“No retail worker should have to worry if they will come home alive the next day.”
Within hours of the incident, tributes for the 20-year-old began to trickle out.
One man said he was “shattered”, calling for action to stop the violence.
“Fly high my bro. Too young,” he wrote on Facebook.
“#puttheknifesdown this has to stop.”
Loved ones amid their grief thanked the public for their support and words of comfort.
“From the family involved a big thank you for prayers and thoughts,” one said.
“It’s hard not to be jaded when pointless violence occurs time and time again.”
“Such a waste, kid was denied a future,” another said.
Another woman said it was a cruel price to pay for a young man just for doing his job.
“This is so awful. Just doing his job, following the RSA law and doesn’t get to go home?,” she wrote.
“Sending love to his family, friends and workmates.”
Endeavour Group, which owns the Airport Tavern, has offered staff and co-workers counselling as they support them through the tragedy.
The young man’s death has sparked renewed and impassioned calls for action on what many describe as escalating violence.
“They need police at all bottleshops now,” a woman said.
“No-one should be going to work in fear or wondering if they will make it home to their family.”
Another said enough was enough.
“Everyone has the right to be safe at work and go home to their loved ones at the end of their shift,” she said.
“The government is not doing enough to protect our community from the rampant crime and out of control anti-social behaviour.”
“Devastating, the unfortunate profound tip of a problem strewn through the city and surrounds,” wrote another.
“Law (and) order is like a knitted jumper. Let one little thread run and soon the whole thing unravels,” was another comment.
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