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Waterloo Safe, say Police

REDFERN police have hit back at suggestions that Waterloo is an unsafe area for international students - an emotional claim made by the mother of a woman who died after falling from an apartment balcony on Hunter Street recently reports Robert Burton-Bradley in the Central of 12 November 2008.

The 18-year-old student was tragically killed as a result of a home invasion at her Waterloo apartment on October 26.

Her 19-year-old boyfriend was seriously injured after the pair fell from the third-floor balcony of an apartment complex.

It is alleged a man forced entry to the apartment and held the pair and three others captive for an hour and forced them to perform sexual acts, before the victim and her boy friend jumped from the balcony. The mother of the woman, Wu Leping, called for better advice for foreign students coming to Australia about where to live, saying Waterloo was "not that safe".

Redfern commander Luke Freudenstein said that while the death was tragic, a comprehensive program was already in place to educate and support international students living in Waterloo and surrounding areas.

"We work with local international colleges and have had seven briefings with them this year alone," Mr Freudenstein said.

Brendan David Dennison, 26, has been charged in relation to the incident with murder and aggravated sexual assault.

The case will resume on December 11.

Source: Central 12 November 2008