Category: Newcastle News

Police are appealing for public assistance after a man was assaulted in the Hunter region at the weekend.
About 11.30am on Saturday 2 January 2021, a 56-year-old man was walking along Curlew Avenue, Hawks Nest, when he was approached by two unknown men.
Police have been told one of the men grabbed the 56-year-old by the shoulder and demanded he hand over his wallet before punching him in the face, while the second man stood nearby.
The man fell to the ground while the first man continued to assault him.
A short time later, a passing motorist stopped to render assistance as the unknown men fled the scene.
The bystander assisted the 56-year-old, who sustained minor injuries which did not require hospital treatment.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were notified yesterday (Sunday 3 January 2021) and commenced inquiries.
The men are both described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged in their early 30s, between 170cm-180cm tall, with slim builds and short dark hair.
The first man is further described as having facial stubble and missing a number of teeth.
Police are also appealing for the male motorist who stopped to render assistance to come forward, as he may be able to assist police with their inquiries.

A man has been charged over an alleged stabbing at Newcastle earlier today.
About 10am (Sunday 3 January 2021), emergency services were called to a unit complex on Pitt Street, Stockton, following reports of a fight between two men who were known to each other.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District attended and found a 58-year-old man with a minor stab wound to the shoulder.
He was treated by paramedics before being taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment.
A 40-year-old man was arrested in a neighbouring unit and taken to hospital for treatment to head and knee lacerations.
Upon release, he was taken to Waratah Police Station where he was charged with reckless wounding.
The Stockton man was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court tomorrow (Monday 4 January 2021).

Police are appealing for assistance from the public after a man was assaulted at Lake Macquarie.
Between 1215am and 12.30am this morning (Friday 1 January 2021), a man, aged 52 was walking home when he was assaulted at Feighan Oval, Warners bay.
Police have been told the man was approached by a group of six males before allegedly being pushed to the ground and assaulted.
As the group fled down John Street, Warners Bay, an unknown woman walking her dog heard the man and provided assistance before his friend arrived.
Officers attached to Lake Macquarie were notified on the incident later that day and commenced inquiries.
After speaking with the man, police transferened him to Belmont Hospital for treatment.
Police are appealing for assistance form the public to identify the males involved and the woman who rendered assistance to the man.
The six males are described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged in their late teens to early twenties, and were all dressed in dark clothing at the time of the incident.
Inquiries are continuing.

Two police officers have been injured in a head-on collision in Newcastle this morning.
About 1.30am (Friday 1 January 2021), emergency services were called to Brunker Road, near South Street, Adamstown, after a marked police vehicle travelling south and a Volvo travelling north collided in the southbound lanes.
The driver, a female constable, and her passenger, a female senior constable, sustained bruising and arm injuries.
The officers were both taken to John Hunter Hospital; however, they have since been released.
Two civilian passengers were also in the police vehicle at the time of the crash. The women were assessed by paramedics at the scene, however, did not require further treatment.
The Ford driver and sole-occupant, a 56-year-old woman, was trapped for a short time. She was released and taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment of non life-threatening injuries and mandatory testing.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Inquiries are continuing.

A man has been charged with dangerous driving after another man was seriously injured in Newcastle last week.
Shortly before 8pm on Tuesday 22 December 2020, three men left a home on Scholey Street, Mayfield, and got into a BMW sedan.
Police have been told the 18-year-old driver and a 20-year-old passenger got into a verbal argument before the older man exited the vehicle and returned inside.
The BMW left the scene before returning a short time later, where police will allege the 20-year-old climbed onto the bonnet of the moving vehicle before the vehicle turned onto Valencia Street and he fell to the roadway.
Police will further allege the driver did not stop to render assistance and continued along Valencia Street.
Passers-by contacted emergency services a short time later.
The man was taken to John Hunter Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.
Officers from the Hunter Crash Investigation Unit attended and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Following extensive inquiries, an 18-year-old man attended Cessnock Police Station about 3pm on Monday (28 December 2020) where he was arrested and charged with four offences including dangerous and negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing grievous bodily harm.
The Kearsley man was granted conditional bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 25 February 2021.
Investigations are ongoing.

A teenager has been charged over an alleged armed robbery in the Hunter region last month.
About 9pm on Monday 16 November 2020, a teen entered a fast food restaurant on Kelly Street, Scone, and allegedly threatened a 19-year-old man with a knife, demanding cash.
The staff member complied, and the teen then fled on foot with an amount of cash.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District attended a short time later and established a crime scene.
The two staff members present at the time were not injured.
Following inquiries and an appeal for public information, a 16-year-old boy was arrested at a home in Scone about 9:40am today (Sunday 27 December 2020).
The teen was taken to Muswellbrook Police Station and charged with robbery armed with offensive weapon.
He was refused bail and will face a children’s court tomorrow (Monday 28 December 2020).

A woman will appear in court in February next year after crashing her car into another vehicle while allegedly intoxicated earlier yesterday.
Police will allege that, about 7:40am (Saturday 26 December 2020), a 40-year-old woman was driving her Mazda CX-5 out of a carpark onto Tomas Cooke Drive, Thornton, when she collided with a Toyota Hilux driving south along Tomas Cooke Drive.
The Toyota Hilux rolled onto its side. The 50-year-old male driver was not injured.
Emergency services were called and officers from Port Stephens – Hunter Police District attended and commenced an investigation.
The woman was breath tested and provided a positive result. She was arrested and taken to Maitland Police Station where she submitted an alleged breath analysis reading of 0.189 – in the high-range category.
She was charged with high range PCA, and her licence was suspended.
She is due to appear in Maitland Local Court on Wednesday 3 February 2021.

A man will appear in court following investigations into a brawl at a hotel in Branxton at the weekend.
During the evening of Saturday 19 December 2020, several members of the Finks Outlaw Motorcycle Gang attended a hotel in Branxton.
It will be alleged in court that, while inside the hotel two men, one aged 28, approached two patrons and assaulted them.
Other patrons in the venue came to their aid and separated the group; they all left the location – including the victims – prior to the arrival of officers from Hunter Valley Police District.
About 10am today (Thursday 24 December 2020), investigators attended a home on Wollombi Road, Bellbird Heights, where they arrested the 28-year-old man.
He was taken to Hunter Valley Police Station and charged with affray.
The man was granted conditional bail and will appear in Cessnock Local Court on Wednesday 20 January 2021.
As inquiries continue, with the assistance of Strike Force Raptor, officers are seeking information from anyone who may have been at the hotel in the evening of Saturday 19 December 2020.

A report in today’s Newcastle Herald incorrectly claims that the architecture firm that in 2017 developed widely criticised concept designs for the Newcastle Ocean Baths pavilions has been awarded the contract for work to the pools and surrounds.
As stated in a City of Newcastle media release issued earlier this week, it has awarded a contract to GHD Pty Ltd for work to the pools and surrounds. The contract does not include work to the pavilions, which is a later stage and to be resolved in consultation.
Yesterday online and today in print, the Newcastle Herald incorrectly claimed that GHD Pty Ltd was responsible for the drawings of a “boxy new modern pavilion”. The Herald included one of these drawings in its online and print editions.
As raised with the Herald yesterday, a controversial design of the pavilion which the Lord Mayor and Council ruled out progressing more than 12 months ago, were done by GHD Woodhead. This is a different company to GHD Pty Ltd. Not only do they have a different name, but they also have a different ABN, different staff and a different Board of Directors.
Had the Newcastle Herald approached City of Newcastle for comment, or GHD Pty Ltd, this unfortunate error would have been detected. As is sometimes the case, the Herald chose not to seek comment from City of Newcastle before publishing the inaccurate story.
The Herald story has generated a significant amount of concern among the Newcastle Ocean Baths community, and has been shared online by a number of prominent people with large followings. All of this community angst could have been avoided had the Newcastle Herald fact checked their story.
City of Newcastle has on multiple occasions over the past 12 months been forced to correct factually incorrect and sensationalised reports from the Newcastle Herald regarding the Newcastle Oceans Baths. These ‘stories’ are usually accompanied by photos of the 2017 concept designs, despite City of Newcastle and the elected Council confirming several times these designs are not proceeding.
The only development occurring at the Newcastle Ocean Baths at this point in time is to upgrade the pools and their surrounds. The contract awarded to GHD Pty Ltd for the development of concept designs of the pools and surrounds has occurred following extensive community engagement.
We again reiterate that any redevelopment of the pavilions will occur in consultation with the community, including the Community Reference Group, which City of Newcastle established earlier this year.
City of Newcastle looks forward to the new year and a new approach from the Newcastle Herald to reporting on matters relating to the restoration of the Newcastle Ocean Baths.