Lachlan Willis pleads guilty to stabbing DJs worker in Melbourne

A David Jones employee was “in and out of consciousness” after he was stabbed by a man trying to steal a designer handbag.

A David Jones staff member was “in and out of consciousness” after they were stabbed by a Melbourne man trying to steal a designer handbag, a court has been told.

The assault was so serious that the victim was rushed to Royal Melbourne Hospital on May 16, the day of the incident, where they underwent two surgeries and required a skin graft from their thigh.

These details were aired on Monday for the first time in the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court, where 19-year-old Maidstone man Lachlan Willis pleaded guilty to intentionally causing injury as well as multiple drug offences.

Lachlan Willis after his arrest from his Maidstone home, in Melbourne. Picture: Victoria Police.

The court was told that the incident occurred shortly before noon at the David Jones store in Emporium Melbourne in the city’s CBD.

Prosecutors told the court that Willis, who was in the company of a female companion during the incident, took a Saint Laurent handbag valued at more than $3000.

When he tried to walk out of the store he was stopped by two employees, the court was told, before telling them to “back off, I have a knife”.

Another staff member then tried to wrest the handbag back from Willis, the court was told, before one of the other staff members was slashed on the wrist.

David Jones in Emporium Melbourne, where an innocent employee was stabbed by a Lachlan Willis as he tried to steal a handbag. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Prosecutors described the offending as “serious”.

Defence lawyer Alana Reader said the incident occurred in the context of a substance relapse, precipitated by the death of a friend and Willis meeting his estranged father.

Ms Reader told the court that in March this year Willis had been hospitalised with a drug overdose and ceased medication he used to treat schizophrenia.

She said he had a history of drug use, which included cannabis, Xanax, GHB, methamphetamine and heroin.

Media outside the David Jones store in the immediate aftermath of the stabbing. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

“He’s ashamed, he’s shocked he could be engaged in such actions,” Ms Reader told the court.

She said Willis was in the “mainstream” of the Port Phillip Prison, and that it was important he was not exposed to that environment for a significant period of time.

Magistrate Malcolm Thomas said the victim had suffered “clearly a serious injury”.

But Mr Thomas said he was “very sympathetic” to Willis’ position and said the teenager was “really upset” over what had occurred at Emporium.

He adjourned the matter to August 1 while assessments are carried out by corrections and youth justice services.

A sign put up by David Jones staff after the incident. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling