NSW: Boy accused of train murder refused bail
22 Dec 2008 3:12 PM
SYDNEY, Dec 22 AAP - A 16-year-old boy charged with the murder of a teenager who was stabbed in a fight on a train in Sydney's south-west has been refused bail and will spend Christmas behind bars.
Andrew Motuliki, 17, of Marrickville, was stabbed in the chest during a fight between two groups of teenagers on a train at Campsie Railway Station at 5.30pm (AEDT) on Sunday.
He was taken to St George Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, police said.
The 16-year-old has been charged with murder, affray and custody of a knife in a public place.
The boy's solicitor, Dennis Miralis, applied for bail in Parramatta Children's Court on Monday on his client's behalf, but magistrate Gary Still said there were no exceptional circumstances to warrant it being granted.
"We're talking about 4.30 (sic) in the afternoon, we're talking about Sunday, we're talking about public transport, we're talking about a knife and we're talking about murder," Mr Still told the court.
The accused appeared before the court wearing a white hooded jumper and had visible facial bruising and a swollen eye.
He was supported by family members, who began sobbing and called out "Boy, I love you" as he was led out of the courtroom.
Earlier on Monday, a 15-year-old boy also allegedly involved in the fight was granted conditional bail in the same court.
The boy, who cannot be named, was charged with affray.
His solicitor, Peter Krisenthal, said a group of boys including his client was approached by another group on the train, but they had tried to avoid a confrontation by disembarking at Canterbury station.
They re-boarded the train, but the others followed them until they reached the train's front carriage, where a fight broke out, he said.
Magistrate Geoff Hiatt conditionally bailed the 15-year-old boy to reappear in the same court on January 14 next year.
