IN December of 2022, 18-year-old Bailey Jones had his whole life ahead of him.
He had goals of becoming a welder, and was on the cusp of falling in love for the first time.
He lived with his mother and stepfather Caroline and Lawrence Micallef, with whom he enjoyed a very close bond.
That life of promise was destroyed in moments when he was fatally stabbed by a man who, at the time, was subject to an intensive corrections order (ICO) under home detention.
With the support of her husband, his mother has turned her immense grief over the loss of her son into a force for change, creating an ePetition which, to date, has more than 26,000 signatures.
It calls on the NSW State Government to emulate Queensland in implementing stricter requirements around ICOs, with the requested reforms named Bailey’s Law.
“I have heard from so many people who have been affected by this issue, and it has spurred me to turn the heartbreak into something positive,” Mrs Micallef said.
“I’m so proud of my son. He was an incredible human being.”
Mrs Micallef has a goal of 50,000 signatures on the petition, with the 20,000-signature threshold triggering a parliamentary debate.
She believes that tougher criteria around the granting of ICOs, more stringent monitoring of those subject to them, and increased restrictions are essential to stop more lives like Bailey’s being lost.
Over the years the Micallef family regularly enjoyed holidays in the Port Macquarie region with the area holding many happy memories for them.
After Bailey’s death they travelled up from the South Coast to paint a rock on the breakwall in his honour and were overwhelmed by the support they received from the local community.
The petition can be found at Sign ePetition | Parliament of NSW and closes on 26 August.
By Rachael THORPE
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