Latest news with #AudreyGriffin
Perth Now
04-05-2025
- Perth Now
‘Very off': Chilling claim on girl's murder
The ex-wife of the man accused of killing teenager Audrey Griffin has revealed he was 'aggressive' towards her on the night of the murder. Adrian Torrens' ex-wife Michelle said 'something was very off' with Torrens on Easter Monday evening, when 19-year-old Audrey Griffin was horrifically murdered after walking home from a night out with friends on the NSW Central Coast. Adrian Torrens' ex-wife Michelle shared that he was "so aggressive" towards her the night of Ms Griffin's murder. 60 Minutes Credit: Supplied 'Something was very off that night … he was so aggressive,' Michelle told 60 Minutes reporter Dimity Clancey. When asked if she believed that Torrens was on her way to kill her the night of Ms Griffin's murder, Michelle said: 'I think so.' She said she had 'no idea' about Torrens' true nature when she married him. Ms Griffin left the Hotel Gosford in the early hours of Sunday March 23, telling her friends she was going to get an Uber or a cab back to her dad's house. However, the next morning when Ms Griffin's mum checked her daughter's location on her phone, she knew something was wrong. Ms Griffin's best friend tragically found her body partially submerged in Erina Creek the next morning while attempting to locate her. Police inititally declared that Ms Griffin's death was not suspicious, as an autopsy led them to quickly to rule the teen's death an accidental drowning. Audrey Griffin was making her way home from the Hotel Gosford in the early hours of Sunday March 23, when she was fatally attacked by Adrian Torrens. Gofundme Credit: News Corp Australia However Ms Griffin's mother, Kathleen Kirby, told A Current Affair this did not make sense to her. 'My gut was telling me one thing, and it was not to give up. I couldn't just go with she drowned. Not one person has walked up to me and said she drowned… No one believed it,' she said. 'She was a swimmer, she's an ocean swimmer, she was strong.' Nearly a month later, police revealed a man had been charged with her murder. That man, Adrian Torrens, was found unresponsive in a cell at Silverwater Correctional Complex in Western Sydney at about 4.50pm on Thursday April 24 after taking his own life. He was unable to be revived by Corrective Services staff and paramedics. Adrian Torrens, 53, was charged with the murder of Central Coast teenager Audrey Griffin. Facebook. Credit: News Corp Australia Torrens also faced 11 unrelated domestic violence charges, including using a mobile phone in a harassing or menacing manner and 10 counts of breaching an apprehended violence order. Michelle spoke about Torrens' violent history, saying: 'He would just flip … I could never see it coming.' Michelle also shared she felt let down by the legal system, after they failed to lock Torrens away despite numerous domestic violence offences. Crowds gathered to remember Audrey Griffin at a memorial on Terrigal Beach. NewsWire / Damian Shaw Credit: News Corp Australia The Sydney Morning Herald reported Torrens was spared jail two months earlier and was on bail at the time of Ms Griffin's death. 'They should have put him in jail after breaching his second AVO,' Michelle said. The interview will air on Channel 9 on Sunday at 8:00pm.
West Australian
28-04-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Election 2025: Albanese urges teens to watch Netflix show Adolescence
Anthony Albanese has encouraged all schools to use the Netflix show Adolescence as a resource to educate boys on gender violence, saying it is 'absolutely so important' young people watch the program. The acclaimed show depicts a family after their teenage son stabs a girl to death and the role social media played in the tragedy. The Prime Minister, campaigning in Roberston on the NSW Central Coast on Monday, singled out the program as he announced more funding to fight domestic violence. He said gendered and domestic violence were part of the reason for the government's social media ban preventing children under 16 from using platforms such as TikTok and X. 'One of the reasons why the social media ban is important is that young people, at a very young age, when they're developing, are exposed to some pretty hateful stuff out there, the rise of misogyny,' Mr Albanese said He said he would encourage schools to show Adolescence to students, but wouldn't match a commitment made by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to make it free for schools. 'I encourage anyone to have a look at it. It's scary,' he said. 'These parents depicted not knowing what their young son, who they love, has engaged in. 'And there's a scene towards the end there where the father … says we thought he was safe. 'He was in his bedroom, we thought he was safe. 'Well, it's had tragic impact for him, but a worse impact for his victim and so this is something we need to have conversations about.' Speaking more broadly on domestic violence, Mr Albanese said current efforts to reduce rates of gendered violence 'isn't working'. 'That's the truth. You know, we are not doing well enough as a society. This is a whole of society problem,' he said. 'Governments can take action, but it's whole of society problem. We need men as well to have conversations with each other, to call it out when they see unacceptable behaviour, to address it, have those conversations.' However he said he was encouraged by bipartisan support for tackling the issue, which includes the National Plan to end Violence Against Women and Children in a generation. He was asked directly about the death of 19-year-old Audrey Griffin, who was killed by repeat domestic violence offender Adrian Torrens after a night out with her friends. Torrens was found dead at Silverwater Correctional Complex last week. Mr Albanese said Ms Griffin's death was 'tragic and horrific'. 'My heart goes out to the family and the friends and loved ones of Audrey Griffin this announcement, of course, wouldn't have impacted on that,' he said. 'One death from violence against women is one too many, and this is just an enormous tragedy, and we continue to work through these issues. 'As I said before, this needs a whole of society response.' The Prime Minister visited community housing provider Pacific Link Housing to announce the Coast Women's and Children's Trauma Recovery Centre in East Gosford, a new $20m initiative to help victims of domestic and sexual violence. Just moments after Mr Albanese arrived for the media event, the Coalition also sent out a media release for the exact same $20m funding commitment. Mr Dutton said he was committed to addressing the scourge. 'As a former police officer who attended numerous domestic violence call-outs, I know the trauma and lifelong impacts that can occur as a result of these horrific crimes,' he said. 'A government I lead will be focused on delivering real change so that families, women and children are safer and we work toward reducing the impact of family and domestic violence.' Domestic Violence helplines
News.com.au
28-04-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Election 2025: Albanese urges teens to watch Netflix show Adolescence
Anthony Albanese has encouraged all schools to use the Netflix show Adolescence as a resource to educate boys on gender violence, saying it is 'absolutely so important' young people watch the program. The acclaimed show depicts a family after their teenage son stabs a girl to death and the role social media played in the tragedy. The Prime Minister, campaigning in Roberston on the NSW Central Coast on Monday, singled out the program as he announced more funding to fight domestic violence. He said gendered and domestic violence were part of the reason for the government's social media ban preventing children under 16 from using platforms such as TikTok and X. 'One of the reasons why the social media ban is important is that young people, at a very young age, when they're developing, are exposed to some pretty hateful stuff out there, the rise of misogyny,' Mr Albanese said He said he would encourage schools to show Adolescence to students, but wouldn't match a commitment made by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to make it free for schools. 'I encourage anyone to have a look at it. It's scary,' he said. 'These parents depicted not knowing what their young son, who they love, has engaged in. 'And there's a scene towards the end there where the father … says we thought he was safe. 'He was in his bedroom, we thought he was safe. 'Well, it's had tragic impact for him, but a worse impact for his victim and so this is something we need to have conversations about.' Speaking more broadly on domestic violence, Mr Albanese said current efforts to reduce rates of gendered violence 'isn't working'. 'That's the truth. You know, we are not doing well enough as a society. This is a whole of society problem,' he said. 'Governments can take action, but it's whole of society problem. We need men as well to have conversations with each other, to call it out when they see unacceptable behaviour, to address it, have those conversations.' However he said he was encouraged by bipartisan support for tackling the issue, which includes the National Plan to end Violence Against Women and Children in a generation. He was asked directly about the death of 19-year-old Audrey Griffin, who was killed by repeat domestic violence offender Adrian Torrens after a night out with her friends. Torrens was found dead at Silverwater Correctional Complex last week. Mr Albanese said Ms Griffin's death was 'tragic and horrific'. 'My heart goes out to the family and the friends and loved ones of Audrey Griffin this announcement, of course, wouldn't have impacted on that,' he said. 'One death from violence against women is one too many, and this is just an enormous tragedy, and we continue to work through these issues. 'As I said before, this needs a whole of society response.' The Prime Minister visited community housing provider Pacific Link Housing to announce the Coast Women's and Children's Trauma Recovery Centre in East Gosford, a new $20m initiative to help victims of domestic and sexual violence. Just moments after Mr Albanese arrived for the media event, the Coalition also sent out a media release for the exact same $20m funding commitment. Mr Dutton said he was committed to addressing the scourge. 'As a former police officer who attended numerous domestic violence call-outs, I know the trauma and lifelong impacts that can occur as a result of these horrific crimes,' he said. 'A government I lead will be focused on delivering real change so that families, women and children are safer and we work toward reducing the impact of family and domestic violence.'
Sydney Morning Herald
27-04-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Stop killing women': Hundreds rally in protest after Audrey Griffin's tragic death
Hundreds marched in Gosford on Sunday after the alleged murder of Audrey Griffin by a stranger who was spared jail two months before her death. Adrian Noel Torrens was placed on a community corrections order despite a history of domestic violence abuses and breaching apprehended violence orders when he allegedly murdered Griffin as she walked home from a night out with friends in Gosford in March. Torrens was found dead in his prison cell on Thursday, days after he was charged with murder. Police say his death is not suspicious. The Central Coast rally against violence encouraged attendees to 'march in fury', demanding change from politicians. At least 24 women have been killed this year, said Australian Femicide Watch. The hundreds-strong crowd marched from Gosford waterfront park to Central Coast Leagues Club. Supporters chanted: 'Twenty-four too many! How many more? Stop killing women! Change the law!' Another chant went: 'Say it once, say it again! No excuse for violent men! When our right to safety is under attack, stand up, fight back!' On signs, messages read: stop killing women; women's rights are human rights; #24 too many, no excuse for violent men; girls just wanna be safe; our girls deserve change. Sarah Williams, a rally co-organiser and chief executive of What Were You Wearing Australia, said it was time that Australia got angry, describing Sunday as 'a day to rage and demand action'.
The Age
27-04-2025
- The Age
‘It's about rage': Hundreds rally against women killed by violence
Hundreds marched in Gosford on Sunday after the alleged murder of Audrey Griffin by a stranger who was spared jail two months before her death. Adrian Noel Torrens was placed on a community corrections order despite a history of domestic violence abuses and breaching apprehended violence orders when he allegedly murdered Griffin as she walked home from a night out with friends in Gosford in March. Torrens was found dead in his prison cell on Thursday, days after he was charged with murder. Police say his death is not suspicious. The Central Coast rally against violence encouraged attendees to 'march in fury', demanding change from politicians. At least 24 women have been killed this year, said Australian Femicide Watch. The hundreds-strong crowd marched from Gosford waterfront park to Central Coast Leagues Club. Supporters chanted: '24 too many! How many more? Stop killing women! Change the law!' Another chant went: 'Say it once, say it again! No excuse for violent men! When our right to safety is under attack, stand up, fight back!' On signs, messages read: stop killing women; women's rights are human rights; #24 too many, no excuse for violent men; girls just wanna be safe; our girls deserve change. Sarah Williams, a rally co-organiser and chief executive of What Were You Wearing Australia, said it was time that Australia got angry, describing Sunday as 'a day to rage and demand action'.
