The Darwin family of a 21-year-old university student killed in a late night attack in Melbourne has pleaded for an end to violence after coming face to face with his accused killer in court.
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Joshua Hardy, originally from Darwin, was killed outside a McDonald's restaurant on St Kilda Road on October 18.
Kyle Zandipour, a 28-year-old bank employee, has been charged with murder over the attack.
Joshua's aunt and uncle, Shaun and Kim Hardy, made a public plea to "stop the violence" after arriving in Melbourne from Darwin to attend the brief court appearance for their nephew's accused killer.
"Stop the violence. It's got to stop," said Kim Hardy on the steps of the Melbourne Magistrates Court with her brother, Shaun, standing by her side.
"We need to be teaching our children how to deal with their anger using words, not fists, and certainly not feet. It's not right. We have to teach kids that actions have consequences."
Holding back tears, she said it was important for her to travel from Darwin to witness the court process because "he's our nephew, he's our family, and this is not right".
"The violence has to end. Actions have consequences and violent actions have dire consequences."
She said Joshua's parents are inconsolable over the loss of their son, who had been completing an arts degree at the University of Melbourne and was returning to his home on campus after a night out with friends when he was killed outside the fast-food restaurant.
"They're not coping. They're not managing," she said of his parents. "They are heartbroken. They are devastated. They are broken, as is most of the Darwin community. This has a wide reach."
Shaun Hardy echoed his sister's comments, saying the family wanted to spread a message that could help stop "senseless deaths".
"We can't make sense of it at the moment, but if we ask for anything it would be, we say 'no more,'" he said. "No more to violence. No more to violent acts that take our children away."
Shaun Hardy said he had many questions after seeing his nephew's accused killer in court, but one question in particular came to mind. "I would have loved to have asked him, 'Why? Why? Why Josh Hardy?"
Joshua's aunt and uncle, along with 10 friends from Darwin, will be flying back to the Northern Territory with his body. They vowed to return for all future court appearances.
Kyle Zandipour appeared briefly in court on one count of murder on Friday. He is expected to make an application for bail at a later date.
