An aboriginal woman charged with stabbing a sushi chef in Melbourne’s CBD has been refused bail after a court heard she has a long history of criminality.
Lauren Darul, 33, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday where Deputy Chief Magistrate Timothy Bourke said no bail conditions would stop her from being an “unacceptable risk” of reoffending.
Darul allegedly stabbed Wan Lai, 36, in a random 7.30am attack on October 2 while the chef was walking to work, and CCTV footage released later that month by 7News sparked outrage about Melbourne’s crime crisis and criticism of Victoria Police for not notifying the public immediately.
Mr Bourke told the court he had taken into account Darul’s aboriginality, “social disadvantage”, mental illnesses and history of homelessness, but said her alleged offending was “serious”, and noted her alleged involvement in spate of other criminal incidents, The Age reported.
“[Darul] has a history of not attending court when on bail. The application has nine prior findings of guilt since 2022 of failing to appear when on bail… [and] eight findings of guilt for committing an indictable offence whilst on bail,” he noted.
The court was shown photographs of a knife wound that left Ms Lai with a collapsed lung, and an image of the kitchen knife allegedly used in the attack, and police argued that Ms Lau opposed bail being granted.
“She’s advised that her and her family would be extremely distressed knowing the accused will be released back into the community to possibly further reoffend,” First Constable Damien Elliott said, the Herald Sun reported.
The court heard Darul was allegedly involved in five separate crimes in the three months leading up to the attack on Ms Lai, including allegedly spitting in the face of a 10-year-old boy who was walking with his family near Melbourne Aquarium. She later blamed her daily methamphetamine use.
Darul will appear in court again on January 20.
Header image: Left, right, the alleged stabbing (7News).
