A sushi chef who was allegedly stabbed in a shocking daylight attack in Melbourne’s CBD has been forced to leave the city, as disturbing new details emerge about the woman accused of the crime.
It has been revealed that police were already actively searching for the alleged attacker, 32-year-old Lauren Darul, after she failed to attend a scheduled mental health appointment.
Darul had also vanished from the state-run homeless shelter where she had been staying.
Wan-Ting Lai, 36, was walking to work at Southern Cross Station on October 2 when she was allegedly knifed in the chest by a stranger in a horrifying random assault.
CCTV footage captured the terrifying moment Ms Lai was approached from behind near the intersection of Little Bourke Street and Spencer Street just before 7.40am.
The footage shows a woman sprinting up to her, pulling out a knife, locking eyes with her, and plunging the blade into her chest before fleeing the scene.
Ms Lai, who worked as a sushi chef at Maki Roll inside Southern Cross Station, spent three days in the Royal Melbourne Hospital recovering from the stab wound.
She was unable to walk to the bathroom during her initial recovery and now faces a long road to recovery.
Police were searching for alleged stabber Lauren Darul (pictured) before the CBD attack
‘I’m still relying on painkillers to manage the pain, and I’m still recovering both physically and mentally,’ she told the Daily Mail.
‘I’m still recovering physically and emotionally, and I truly hope the justice system prioritises community safety.’
The trauma of the attack has left her unable to return to Melbourne, and she has since relocated in an effort to rebuild her life.
Police arrested Darul shortly after the incident. She was on bail at the time and is now in custody.
It’s understood she will make another application for bail when she appears in court on Tuesday.
The case has reignited fierce debate over Victoria’s handling of knife crime and mental health intervention failures.
Opposition leader Brad Battin slammed the state government’s response.
‘The Victorian government has failed when it comes to knife crime and their only answer is a machete bin that isn’t working,’ Battin said.
Police were searching for Lauren Darul (left) after failing to attend a mental health appointment
The Allan Government meanwhile has defended safety efforts, pointing to expanded stop-and-search powers that have led to the seizure of more than 12,000 dangerous weapons.
More than 5,000 machetes have also been surrendered under the state’s machete ban.
Meanwhile, the City of Melbourne is ramping up its surveillance network, with plans to install 100 new CCTV cameras across the CBD over the next year and double the total number during the current council term.
But for Ms Lai, the damage has already been done.
‘I just want to feel safe again,’ she said.
