Ljube Velevski, a Port Kembla man who served 25 years for the brutal murders of his wife and three children, has narrowly avoided returning to jail after a court heard he accidentally exposed himself on a public train while scratching a rash.
Court appearance
The 61-year-old pleaded guilty in Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday to willful and obscene exposure in public. The charge stems from an incident on a train travelling from Wollongong to Port Kembla on November 15 last year.
Acting Judge Les Mabbutt noted that Velevski's only saving grace from being jailed was that he had a rash "to deal with in the area." Velevski was convicted and fined $800.
Details of the incident
The court heard that while Velevski sat in the upper deck of the first carriage, a train guard observed him exposing his genital area multiple times. The guard used the public address system to tell Velevski to stop, but he continued to touch his groin from inside his shorts. The incident was reported to rail security, and police later visited Velevski's home to question him about CCTV footage.
After being shown the video, Velevski admitted he was the man depicted but claimed he had a rash and felt compelled to scratch it, resulting in accidental exposure. He then showed the rash to the officers.
Defence and background
Defence lawyer Ms Chardo said her client acknowledged the behaviour was inappropriate and "not something he wanted to expose other individuals to." She added that Velevski suffers from an "immense amount" of mental health issues following his release from prison after serving 25 years without parole.
Velevski was jailed in 1997 for the murders of his wife Snezana, their daughter Zaklina, and twin babies Daniela and Dijana at their Berkeley home. He has never admitted guilt. He was released in 2022.
