An elderly man, Warren John Greenup, aged 74, has been sentenced to at least four years and nine months in prison for stabbing his son-in-law, Cameron Parkin, in a flagrant act of vigilantism at Sydney’s Central Station. Greenup admitted to police that he intended to kill Parkin after learning of allegations that he had assaulted Greenup’s daughter. The stabbing occurred in December 2021, just meters away from Greenup’s wife and Parkin’s four-year-old daughter, who were having a pre-arranged meeting at the train station. Several members of the public witnessed the attack.
Greenup pleaded guilty to causing wounding with intent to commit murder and was sentenced to eight years in prison, with a non-parole period of four years and nine months. CCTV footage captured the attack, showing Greenup approaching Parkin from behind and stabbing him in the back. Parkin then turned around and pushed Greenup to the ground before Greenup got back up and chased him through the station. The attack ended when a member of the public told Greenup to drop the knife. Parkin was taken to the hospital for treatment, and Greenup was arrested.
During his arrest, Greenup told police that the attack was premeditated as he had been planning it for a while, wanting to kill Parkin for allegedly mistreating his daughter. Greenup claimed that Parkin had made everyone’s life hell. The court heard that Greenup and Parkin had known each other since Greenup’s daughter began dating Parkin, eventually marrying him. At the time of the stabbing, they were separated.
Judge Hunt described the attack as a brazen and flagrant act of vigilantism, committed in broad daylight in a public concourse. He noted the disturbing effect it had on the witnesses, many of whom were nearby. The judge also highlighted the aggravating circumstances of the attack, including the use of a knife and the fact that Greenup’s granddaughter witnessed the stabbing.
Although Greenup had no prior criminal history and had been of good behavior, the judge found that he had overreacted and showed no remorse for his actions. He believed that Greenup’s blame on the victim made it impossible to consider his prospects of rehabilitation. However, the judge also found special circumstances in the case due to Greenup’s first-time custody and the potential benefit of extended supervision for his rehabilitation. Greenup has been in custody since his arrest, and his sentence was backdated to that date. He will be eligible for parole in September 2026.