Category: Newcastle News

A man wanted on an outstanding warrant has been charged with more than 20 offences after he was arrested in the state’s Hunter Region.
Just before 1am today (Sunday 27 September 2020), officers from Lake Macquarie Police District Proactive Crime Team attended Jarrett Street in Kilaben Bay, after reports of males arguing in the street.
A 27-year-old man, wanted on an outstanding revocation of parole warrant, was arrested at the scene and taken to Toronto Police Station.
He was charged with 25 offences including;

• Dishonestly obtain property by deception (x5)
• Drive conveyance taken without consent of owner (x7)
• Drive motor vehicle during disqualification period (x3)
• Police pursuit – not stop – drive recklessly (x2)
• Goods in personal custody suspected being stolen (not motor vehicle)
• Goods suspected stolen given other not entitled (not motor vehicle)
• Use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention
• Not give particulars to other driver
• Custody of knife in public place
• Larceny
• Shoplifting (x2)

The outstanding revocation of parole warrant was also executed.
Police will allege in court that the offences were committed across the Lake Macquarie, Tuggerah Lakes, Brisbane Water and Newcastle City Police Districts since May 2020.
The man was refused bail to appear before Newcastle Bail Court today (Sunday 27 September 2020).
 

A teenage driver has been charged and police have launched a critical incident following a serious crash that left 11 people injured, one critically, at Lake Macquarie overnight.
Just before 1.15am (Saturday 26 September 2020), officers from Lake Macquarie Police District were patrolling when they saw a Holden Statesman leave a service station on Main Road, Edgeworth.
Due to the manner of driving, police conducted a U-turn to follow the vehicle.
The Holden continued to travel on Main Road and allegedly collided with a Toyota HiAce van, being operated as a taxi, at the intersection of Garth Street.
Paramedics treated 11 people for various injuries who were all taken to John Hunter Hospital.
The taxi driver, a 46-year-old man, and two female passengers, aged 24 and 42, suffered serious injuries.
The younger woman remains in a critical condition and the driver in a serious but stable condition.
Three further taxi passengers – men, aged 28, 35, and 47 – suffered minor injuries.
Three passengers in the Holden – two 14-year-old girls and a 17-year-old boy – suffered serious injuries. The Holden driver and a fourth passenger, both aged 17, suffered minor injuries.
The Holden driver was arrested and subjected to a roadside breath test, allegedly returning a positive result.
He was taken to hospital, under police guard, where he underwent mandatory testing.
The teen has since been released and taken to Toronto Police Station, where he was charged with 15 offences, including:

• dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm- drive manner dangerous (x3)
• cause bodily harm by misconduct, in charge of motor vehicle (x8)
• negligent driving (occasions grievous bodily harm)
• drive motor vehicle during disqualification period
• negligent driving, and
• not stop before lights at red light.

He was refused bail to appear at a children’s court tomorrow (Sunday 27 September 2020).
A critical incident team will now investigate all circumstances surrounding the crash.
That investigation will be subject to independent review.

School trips to Canberra may have been cancelled due to COVID-19, but you can still get a taste of one of the capital’s most popular experiences when Questacon’s Colour exhibition opens at Newcastle Museum today.
Launched just in time for the start of the school holidays, this special touring exhibition developed by Questacon – the National Science and Technology Centre explores the science of colour and perception through more than 20 different interactive experiences.

Set up in a COVID Safe space in the Supernova Gallery, Colour allows visitors to discover how light influences colour and why we all see colour differently, using everything from coloured bubbles and iridescent insects to spectacular fluorescent rocks and colour illusions.
Questacon partnered with the Australian National Insect Collection and Geoscience Australia for this exhibition, which runs from 25 September 2020 to 31 January 2021.
Newcastle Museum will also launch a second new exhibition on 25 September, showcasing the work of Newcastle photographer Luke Kellett. isolation: Portraits of Newcastle during COVID-19 includes around 25 large format photographs taken in the wake of the first COVID-19 Public Health Order closures announced in March 2020.
Newcastle Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said Colour and isolation: Portraits of Newcastle during COVID-19 represented the amazing calibre of touring and self-curated exhibitions being offered throughout the year by the Museum.
“We’re excited to showcase the Colour exhibition to the Museum’s audience in Newcastle and the Hunter, offering a taste of the science-based fun that both Questacon and our Museum are so well known for,” Cr Clausen said.
“We’re also proud to play a role in recording history for future generations through the pictures and stories of Novocastrians during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our Museum continues to raise its profile nationally by presenting world class exhibitions to our community and I encourage everyone to come along and take a look for themselves.”
Newcastle Museum Director Julie Baird said as part of isolation: Portraits of Newcastle during COVID-19, Luke wanted to document how the city felt and looked without the usual crowds and to explore togetherness during isolation. Luke photographed different types of households in isolation and recorded his subject’s thoughts, fears and hopes for the future via written responses to questions.
“Through this amazing exhibition visitors can see how other people experienced isolation, and experience how in 100 years’ time Newcastle will remember this momentous period of time,” Ms Baird said.
Tickets for Colour can be purchased through the Newcastle Museum’s website and cost $10 for adult, $5 for children aged three and over and $7 for concession card holders, while a family pass (two adults and two children) is $25. Entry into isolation: Portraits of Newcastle during COVID-19 is free.
Visitors should bring a mobile phone to enter the museum using a QR code and interact with both exhibitions.

Police are appealing for assistance to locate a man missing from Newcastle.
Shane Burns, aged 41, was last seen at a hospital in Waratah on 30 August 2020.
Police were notified when family members couldn’t locate or contact him.
Concerns are held for his welfare and officers from Newcastle City Police District are appealing for public assistance to locate him.
Shane is described as being of Aboriginal / Torres Strait Islander appearance, approximately 183cm tall, with a thin build.
Anyone who sees him, or believes they know his whereabouts, is urged to contact police.

A teenage driver remains in custody following a serious crash that left 10 people injured, one critically, at Lake Macquarie overnight.
Just before 1.10am (Saturday 26 September 2020), officers from Lake Macquarie Police District were patrolling the Edgeworth area, when they saw a Holden Commodore, leave a service station on Main Road.
Due to the manner of driving, police conducted a U-turn with the intention of stopping the vehicle.
The Holden continued to travel along Main Road and proceeded through a red traffic control light at the intersection of Garth Street, colliding with a Toyota HiAce passenger van, being operated as a taxi.
Ten people were treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics for various injuries and taken to John Hunter Hospital.
The taxi driver, a 46-year-old man, and two female passengers, aged 42 and 24, suffered serious injuries. The younger woman remains in a critical condition and the driver in a serious but stable condition.
Three further taxi passengers – men, aged 28, 35, and 47 – suffered minor injuries.
Three passengers in the Holden – two girls, aged 14, and a 17-year-old boy – suffered serious injuries. The Holden driver and a fourth passenger, both aged 17, suffered minor injuries.
The Holden driver was arrested and subjected to a roadside breath test, returning a positive result.
He was taken to hospital, under police guard, where he underwent mandatory testing.
The teen has since been conveyed to Toronto Police Station, where he remains in custody.

A woman has been charged after allegedly driving her car off a cliff and striking a woman on a beach at Newcastle yesterday.
About 10.15am (Thursday 24 September 2020), emergency services were called to Bar Beach after reports a Volkswagen Golf had driven over a cliff and landed on the beach.
A 40-year-old woman was struck by the car, while her 18-month-old child narrowly avoided being hit.
The woman was taken to John Hunter Hospital with serious injuries.
The driver, a 46-year-old woman, was also taken to hospital suffering multiple fractures. She remains in a serious condition.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District attended and commenced an investigation.
Following inquiries, the woman was placed under arrest while in hospital today (Friday 25 September 2020).
The Wallsend woman was charged with drive manner dangerous cause grievous bodily harm and a bedside hearing was conducted today where she was refused bail. She is due to re-appear in Newcastle Local Court on 1 October 2020.

Two women and a child have been injured after a car drove off a cliff and crashed onto a beach in Newcastle today.
About 10.25am (Thursday 24 September 2020), emergency services were called to Bar Beach in Newcastle, following reports that a car had gone off a cliff.
Police have been told the white Volkswagen Golf drove off the cliff from the top car park and landed on the sand.
A 40-year-old woman and her infant child, who were on the beach, were struck by the car. The woman sustained possible leg fractures and was taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment. The child suffered minor scratches.
The driver of the Volkswagen, a 32-year-old woman, was treated at the scene for minor injuries before being taken to the same hospital where she will also undergo mandatory testing.
Officers attached to Newcastle City Police District attended and have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Police are investigating reports there was a male passenger in the Volkswagen.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, or has dashcam footage, is urged to come forward.
The car park has been cleared and members of the public are being advised to avoid the area.
A retrieval operation is underway to remove the vehicle from the beach.

Local organisations are being encouraged to make a commitment to expand opportunities for young people as youth unemployment approaches 20 per cent.
The Greater Newcastle Youth Employment Charter is an initiative of the City Taskforce aiming to combat the impact of growing youth unemployment exacerbated by COVID-19 while recognising and celebrating the important role of youth in our community.
City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said local organisations can play a key role in supporting young people to find and maintain work in these challenging times.
“The local youth unemployment rate has hit 19.8 per cent, well above the state’s 13.5 per cent and now two in five people under the age of 25 are not working the hours they would like to in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.
“The Hunter has a higher proportion of people aged 15-24 years working in the accommodation, food, retail, arts and recreation services than many other parts of Australia. These industries have been hardest hit by COVID-19.
“Consequently, COVID-19 has had a significant and disproportionate impact on young people, so collectively we must act.”
Organisations across the region can engage with the Charter by making five commitments regarding youth employment, youth training, youth voice, youth support and youth celebration.
Several organisations have already pledged to prioritise professional development opportunities for young people, establish structured mentoring programs, ensure youth are represented in decision-making processes and expand trainee, apprenticeship and graduate positions.
Port of Newcastle CEO Craig Carmody said it was important that the region’s businesses made a commitment to creating opportunities for young people.
“These are challenging times and our youth need opportunities to build technical skills and knowledge so they can contribute to the region’s economic recovery and long-term prosperity.  Port of Newcastle is already working to play its part today, through initiatives like our Indigenous STEM scholarship, while also pursuing plans to grow and diversify in order to create many more direct and indirect employment opportunities for future generations,” Mr Carmody said.
“Our vision is that youth trained in STEM disciplines can look forward to local, highly technical roles requiring years of training and attracting higher wages – these roles could be working directly at the new Multi-purpose Deepwater Terminal or in any of the many associated businesses and operators spawned from its operation.”
The University of Newcastle Hunter Research Foundation’s Lead Economist Dr Anthea Bill, who provides local employment research insights to the City Taskforce, said COVID-19 has caused disruption at a vulnerable time for young people as they transition between education and work.
“Young people are more vulnerable in the labour market because they have shorter work histories and less acquired skills and qualifications. They are also more likely to work in jobs which are casual and therefore more likely to have hours cut when an economic downturn hits,” Dr Bill said.
“That is what makes affirmative action like the Youth Unemployment Charter all the more crucial.”
All Greater Newcastle organisations are encouraged to sign the Youth Unemployment Charter. Visit www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au for more information.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from the state’s Hunter region.
Andrew Weatherstone, aged 47, has not been seen or heard from by family and friends since 6pm on Saturday (19 September 2020).
He was reported missing to officers from Newcastle City Police District, who commenced an investigation to locate him.
Police and family hold concern for his welfare due the disappearance being out of character.
Andrew is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 190cm tall, of medium build, with brown hair, brown eyes and a moustache.
It is believed he is driving a white Toyota Camry sedan, and is known to frequent Newcastle and surrounding suburbs.
Anyone who may have information are urged to contact Newcastle Police Station on (02) 4926 6537 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.

A woman has been charged over an alleged break and enter, during which a resident suffered a medical episode and died, at Port Stephens overnight.
About 12.20am (Wednesday 23 September 2020), emergency services were called to a home on Old Main Road, Anna Bay, after reports of a break and enter.
Police will allege in court that a woman attended the home about 11pm and spoke to the occupants, two women – aged 59 and 37 – known to her.
The woman left before allegedly returning about an hour later and entered the home through a window. She was escorted out the front door by the younger woman.
The older woman was found soon after, suffering a medical episode. She was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to John Hunter Hospital where she died a short time later.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A short time later, a 47-year-old woman was arrested nearby and taken to Raymond Terrance Police Station.
She was charged with aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence and refused bail to appear before Raymond Terrace Local Court today (Wednesday 23 September 2020).
Police will prepare a report for the information of the Coroner and a post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death.