Lorraine Street is glad to hear
THE mother of a 20-year-old man who died after being punched outside a Narre Warren nightclub said she is glad the venue has closed down.
Lorraine Street’s son Robert died after receiving a blow to the face during a fight in front of the Brass Monkey nightclub on 15 December 2002. The club later changed names to Furnace Nite Club.
The venue operators announced the closure of the troubled nightspot last week after more than three years of trade.
Mrs Street, of Emerald, welcomed news that the club had closed, dubbing the venue a “dangerous” place.
“I am very happy about that (the closure). I could never go near it again or even walk past it. It was a dangerous place in a bad spot. There was just something about it. I walked past a few times and saw all the people lining up. It scared me. It really was an unsafe place and I am pleased to see it has closed,” she said.
In March 2005 Narre Warren plasterer Luke Wayne Biggs, then 25, was found guilty of fatally injuring Mr Street and convicted of manslaughter.
A County Court jury rejected Biggs’ claim that he was acting in self-defence when he struck Mr Street in the mouth after a brief exchange of words. Judge Leo Hart sentenced Mr Biggs to four and a half years in prison.
Mr Street was knocked unconscious when his head hit the concrete pavement.
He suffered a fractured skull but refused to be taken to hospital and was found dead in bed 30 hours later.
Mrs Street said she believed young people needed local entertainment venues but they needed to be built in the right location and have sufficient security.
“They (the nightclub) absolutely needed more security and the issue needs to be addressed.
“Robbie might not have been hit if there had been more security to move people on instead of being left standing out the front of the club,” she said.
Mrs Street said her family and Robert’s friends were struggling to come to grips with the young musician’s death.
She said her son had only been to the Narre Warren nightclub once or twice and his friends had never returned to the venue.
“We are not doing much better then when it first happened.
“It is still very fresh and still feels like it happened only yesterday. “We will never get over it. Robbie’s friends still come over all the time and they are not coping.
“They still find it very hard and break down in tears. Not one of them went back after it happened – that place just had a bad feeling,” she said.
