AUSTRALIA – A 17-year-old has become the eighth person to be charged with murder over the death of a Melbourne teenager in March.
Detectives from the Homicide Squad arrested the youth at Melbourne Airport on Wednesday morning and charged him with murder.
The teenager briefly appeared in a children’s court just before 1pm on Wednesday where he was formally charged with murder. Declan Cutler, 16, was fatally assaulted and stabbed on a residential street in Reservoir, 12km north of Melbourne’s CBD, on March 13.
Emergency services were called to Elizabeth Street just before 2.30am after reports someone had been assaulted.
Declan was treated by paramedics and police but died at the scene.
The 16-year-old’s death has been described by authorities as ‘one of the most vicious and brutal attacks’ police have seen.
Victoria’s Chief Police Commissioner Shane Patton earlier this described the alleged murder as a ‘horrendous attack’.
The eight teenagers allegedly pursued Declan in a dark sedan after he left a party in Coburg North following a confrontation.
It’s believed the teen was attacked after becoming separated from his mates with police alleging, he slipped and fell after being grabbed from behind.
‘All eight offenders proceeded to stomp, kick, punch and stab the deceased,’ Homicide Squad Detective Senior Constable Brendan Stack alleged in a written summary filed with a children’s court in March.
It took Victoria Police just 10 days to lay charges against six of the alleged killers.
A 17-year-old Taylors Hill boy, 17-year-old Tarneit boy, 15-year-old Hoppers Crossing boy, 16-year-old Yarraville boy, 14-year-old Meadow Heights boy and a 13-year-old Meadow Heights boy have all been charged with murder.
Another teenager, a 17-year-old boy, was also charged with murder in April.
Prosecutors told a children’s court on Tuesday that DNA evidence, CCTV footage and fingerprint analysis would form part of the evidence.
The court also head the teen’s seven co-accused are due to face a contested committal hearing in October.
The 17-year-old made no application for bail and was remanded in custody to appear in court on September 13.
Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill said many experienced police saw the ‘profoundly violent attack’ as one of the most brutal they had ever come across.
‘It’s every parent’s worst nightmare, having their teenage child leave the house for a night out with friends and never returning, however this is exactly what happened on this occasion,’ Mr Hill said.
‘The senseless nature of this incident should not be lost on anyone – I know it has impacted our police.’
In March, Declan’s mother Sam told 7News she felt ‘broken’ and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
‘His whole face just lit up my day – everything about him, his cheeky little ways,’ she said. ‘He was a very caring, loving and easy-going person.’
Declan is survived by his parents and his four younger siblings.
