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‘She was the kindest soul’: man charged with murder one month after Audrey Griffin, 19, found dead in NSW creek ‘She was the kindest soul’: man charged with murder one month after Audrey Griffin, 19, found dead in NSW creek
(32 minutes later)
Death of young woman whose body was found in creek on state’s Central Coast not initially treated as suspicious Death of young woman whose body was found in creek on Central Coast not initially treated as suspicious
The accused killer of a teen “with the kindest soul” has faced court weeks after her body was found in a creek. Police have revealed they were uneasy about attributing a teenage sportswoman’s death to an accident before new information sparked murder charges.
The body of 19-year-old Audrey Griffin was discovered partially submerged in Erina Creek on the New South Wales Central Coast on the afternoon of 24 March. The body of 19-year-old Audrey Griffin was discovered partially submerged in Erina Creek on the New South Wales Central Coast on 24 March after she went missing on a night out.
Police allege she was killed by 53-year-old Adrian Noel Torrens following a physical altercation after 3am on 23 March. Her alleged killer was arrested on Monday after a four-week investigation into the rugby league and water polo player’s death.
Griffin’s death was not initially treated as suspicious, but further inquiries led to Torrens’ arrest for murder. “This is a matter which has not sat well with us from the start,” Supt Darryl Jobson said on Tuesday.
He spent the night in custody on remand and did not ask to be released when his matter was briefly mentioned in Sydney’s Downing Centre local court on Tuesday. A number of leads came in over the past four weeks before a breakthrough on Friday saw the arrest of 53-year-old Adrian Noel Torrens.
Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter Police allege the pair were not known to each other but became involved in a physical altercation after 3am on 23 March.
Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter “We received significant information which transferred this investigation to a homicide investigation,” Jobson said.
The 53-year-old was due to remain behind bars until his matter returns to Gosford local court on 20 June. Torrens was arrested on Monday and spent the night in custody before his matter was briefly mentioned in Sydney’s Downing Centre local court on Tuesday. He did not face court or ask to be released on bail, which was formally refused.
Torrens’ lawyer Bashir El Kheir told reporters that the investigation is still in the very early stages and he was still trying to determine the allegations against his client. The 53-year-old will remain behind bars until his matter returns to Gosford local court on 20 June.
Brisbane water police district commander, Supt Darryl Jobson, said on Tuesday afternoon that it was an “matter which had not sat well” with police. He also faces 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.
Jobson said there had been a “number of lines of inquiry” and that after receiving “significant information”, police had transferred the investigation to one of homicide. The domestic violence charges – four of which were allegedly committed on the same day – will return to court in May.
Organisers of a fundraising page set up to help Griffin’s family with funeral costs said that the community was heartbroken by the loss of the beautiful teen, who was “the light in many lives”. His lawyer, Bashaar Elkheir, told reporters that the investigation was still in the very early stages.
Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 He had not been able to determine the details of the allegations against his client, including how he allegedly came into contact with Griffin.
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“There is no doubt she [brought] endless laughter and joy to everyone,” the page read. A fundraising page set up to help Griffin’s family with funeral costs said the community was heartbroken by the loss of “the light in many of our lives”.
“There is no doubt she bought (sic) endless laughter and joy to everyone,” the fundraiser organiser said.
“She was the kindest soul to walk this earth and will always be in our hearts.”“She was the kindest soul to walk this earth and will always be in our hearts.”
The 19-year-old was remembered as a valuable member of the premiership Terrigal Wamberal Sharks rugby league team with a “larger-than-life personality” and a “happy go lucky nature”. The 19-year-old was remembered as a valuable member of the premiership Terrigal Wamberal Sharks rugby league team with a “larger-than-life personality” and a “happy-go-lucky nature”.
She also played for the Gosford water polo club, which held a minute of silence for the woman who “always brought a smile to those around her”.She also played for the Gosford water polo club, which held a minute of silence for the woman who “always brought a smile to those around her”.