A BRIT dad who moved to Australia “for a better life” has been stabbed to death inside a motel car park.
Royce Mallett, 30, from Haswell, County Durham, was reportedly heard screaming for help as the assailant plunged a knife “into his heart”.
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He was rushed to Albury Hospital but was later pronounced dead.
A woman staying in the motel said a passerby tried to save Royce’s life by applying pressure on the stab wound to prevent blood loss.
He then reportedly called emergency responders to the scene.
An officer from the Australian Police Department said: “It’s a very unfortunate situation we’re faced with. We have a deceased 30-year-old.
“We have a man in custody assisting us with our enquiries. We are not looking for anyone else in relation to this offence.”
Witness Michelle told Border Mail: “I heard a commotion and I went outside. There were a few people around, one guy was trying to [apply pressure to the wound].
“As far as I know, what led up to it, he was sitting in his car with a mate, whatever’s happened, this guy’s got him in the heart.”
It is understood the victim and the attacker knew each other.
Royce’s family are now trying to raise £20,000 to fly to Australia and bring his body back for a funeral.
His heartbroken mum Felicity Mallet said he was set to return home in five weeks along with his daughter Rose, five, and son Roman, who is about to turn two.
A GoFundMe page set up for the father-of-two said: “Royce was a kind man with a good heart who went to Australia to make a better life for his family.
“He was an amazing father to his 2 young children who absolutely adore their dad.
“Words cannot describe how heartbroken we all are as a family, and we just want our Royce home where he belongs.”
Pal Robbie Matthews added: “Absolutely devastating news. Sleep Tight. Royce Mallett. To think you had gone to Australia to look for a better life.”
A Foreign Office spokesperson told The Sun: “We are supporting the family of a man who has died in Australia and are in contact with the local authorities.”
It comes after a Brit tourist was stabbed to death outside a nightclub in Spain.
The man, 30, was killed outside the Oxygen nightclub in the popular resort town of Calella – around 30 miles from Barcelona.
It’s understood he was stabbed during a row with another group of tourists outside the club.
Another person was injured in the brawl and rushed to hospital.
Meanwhile, another Brit tourist was ruthlessly stabbed in front of his girlfriend by a drug dealer in Amsterdam.
The couple were standing outside a pub in the city’s popular Red Light District when they were approached by the dealer but refused to buy anything from the man before all hell broke loose.
After the brutal assault, the attacker quickly fled the busy streets as CCTV footage captured him running away as he disappeared into bustling crowds in the Red Light District.
Amsterdam police released the harrowing footage of the stabbing that took place back in March to help identify the attacker.
It comes after Brit student Danny Castledine, 22, was tragically killed less than 24 hours after arriving in the Dutch capital for a weekend trip with his friend.
A 24-year-old Belgian national, known as Nongo B, was convicted of stabbing Danny to death and is now serving 14 years behind bars.
The Leeds Beckett University student was found with 30 stab wounds following the brutal attack in the early hours of June 1, 2022.
Nongo B was captured in security footage walking along the canals with Danny on May 31 before his death.
The body of the 22-year-old was found on the Singel the following day and despite the efforts of the emergency workers to revive him, Danny was pronounced dead at the scene.