Berwick mother of one Corinne Jones has called for security measures on trains to be improved following the stabbing death of her brother last month.
By Rebecca Fraser
THE sister of a talented musician stabbed to death on a suburban train last month has expressed disbelief at the recent spate of knife attacks in Melbourne.
Berwick mother of one Corinne Jones has called for security on public transport to be improved following the tragic death of her 28-year-old brother, Darren.
Her comments coincide with three stabbing murders in Casey in the past three weeks and a spate of other knife attacks in Melbourne. The most recent was on Saturday night, when a 44-year-old Berwick man died in his Florence Avenue home (see Page 3).
Earlier this month, an elderly couple was stabbed to death in their home in Pauline Court, Hallam.
Ms Jones, 26, has also called on the State Government to spend more funds on the mental health system so people with a mental illness are better supported and not left to ‘roam’ the streets.
She said her family was still coming to terms with the loss of her brother, a Belgrave father of one. She said the stream of knife attacks and deaths that followed her brother’s murder had also shocked her.
“There is definitely something not right out there,” she said.
Ms Jones said she would never step foot on a train again following his death and she would forever fear travelling on public transport.
Mr Jones, a well-known musician in the Dandenong Ranges and Victorian College of Arts student, was fatally stabbed on Thursday, February 23 in an apparent random attack on a Lilydale-bound train near Box Hill.
Kilsyth resident Cory James Acuna, 23, has since been charged with one count of murder and has been remanded to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 18 May.
Ms Jones said her brother was a caring and non-judgmental person who was loved by all who met him.
She said her mother Annette believed that knives were too easy to buy in Melbourne and she too agreed that they were easy to purchase.
Despite her concerns about the availability of knives Ms Jones said she was more worried about the state of Melbourne’s public transport system and the lack of security on trains.
“There is no one on the train to make you feel safe.
“There needs to be a bigger police presence and more security people,” she said.
Ms Jones said the mental health system also needed urgent attention.
“If sick people need help and are not checked up on and supported then they are left to walk the streets and sometimes innocent people are not protected,” she said.
More than 500 people attended Mr Jones’ funeral and a tribute concert at Ruby’s Lounge in Belgrave on Labour Day. The fundraising concert featured 10 bands and proceeds went to Mr Jones’ partner, Kate Salisbury, and their son Jett, who turns two in May.
A spokesperson for train operator Connex said the rail network was used by more than 200,000 people a day and their commitment was to make every effort, in conjunction with Victoria Police, the Government and local communities, to reduce incidents of criminal behaviour. and apprehend offenders where a crime has occurred.
“We recognise that some of our customers feel unsafe, especially at night, and we have increased the presence of staff, across the network, after 9pm,” she said.
