By David Estcourt and Caroline Schelle
At least one of the teenagers charged over a daylight stabbing in Melbourne’s north-west on Wednesday night has been linked to a previous group attack that claimed the life of 15-year-old Solomone Taufeulungaki, a court has heard.
On Thursday, five teenagers – including a 14-year-old boy – faced court following a stabbing over a botched drug deal.
Police allege the brawl broke out between two men and the group of teens, who are aged between 14 and 17, in the public toilets of the Watergardens Shopping Centre at Taylors Lakes about 7pm on Wednesday.
On Thursday, a children’s court heard that at least one of the teens was linked to the attack on Solomone which, at the time, caused outrage in the community. Solomone was fatally stabbed in a brawl outside Brimbank Shopping Centre in Deer Park on June 16, 2020.
A judge issued a stern warning to the teenager, now 16, about his actions. “Be very careful,” he told the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
A 19-year-old Sunbury man was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with life-threatening injuries. By Thursday afternoon he had undergone surgery and remained in a serious condition.
Police allege that just before 7pm on Wednesday, two men approached five youths outside the shopping centre and offered to sell them three Xanax pills, a potent tranquilliser used recreationally, for $15, police allege.
The two groups agreed to proceed to public toilets to make a deal.
After arriving at the toilets, the court heard, the youths demanded all the Xanax from the two men and assaulted them. The fight spilled out into the shopping centre in front of members of the public.
One of the teens stole the Xanax, police say, and fled on foot. One of the men pursued him and was stabbed by the 14-year-old, police allege. The youths then fled towards the train station.
The teenagers were arrested outside Watergardens train station by protective services officers and police shortly after the alleged brawl.
The 14-year-old, from St Albans, was charged with intentionally causing serious injury and affray and will apply for bail on Friday.
A 17-year-old from Deer Park, who is charged with affray and committing an indictable offence while on bail, and a 16-year-old from St Albans charged with affray, were both released on bail on Thursday afternoon.
The judge, who cannot be named for legal reasons, warned the 16-year-old, citing his history of involvement in violent crime.
The bailed youths are not allowed to associate with any co-accused and are subject to a curfew.
Another 17-year-old charged with affray had his bail application adjourned until January, to follow a youth justice assessment. Another 17-year-old charged with affray had their matter heard earlier in the day and was refused bail.
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