Category: Newcastle News

A man has died in a single-vehicle truck crash in the Hunter region today.
Just before 11am (Tuesday 15 December 2020), officers attached to the Hunter Valley Police District, along with other emergency services, responded to reports of a single-vehicle truck crash on the Golden Highway, about 10km north-west of Jerrys Plains.
The prime mover, with attached trailer, was travelling east along the Golden Highway, near Edderton Road, when it left the road and crashed heavily into an embankment.
The driver and sole occupant of the truck, a 56-year-old man, died at the scene.
A crime scene was established, and police have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Police have dismantled an alleged drug-supply network operating in Lake Macquarie.
In May 2020, detectives from Lake Macquarie Police District established Strike Force Loxton to investigate the supply of prohibited drugs, mainly methylamphetamine, in Morisset and other areas on the western side of Lake Macquarie.
So far during the investigation, 11 people have been charged with various drug and firearm offences and remain before the courts.
Following further extensive inquiries, about 8am yesterday (Tuesday 15 December 2020), strike force detectives – with the assistance of Northern Region Operational Support Group and Strike Force Raptor North – executed five search warrants and two firearm prohibition order warrant in Morisset, Wyee, Kingfisher Shores and Dora Creek.
During the warrants, police seized methylamphetamine, cocaine, cannabis, about $100,000 cash, replica firearms and knives.
A 39-year-old Dora Creek man was arrested at commercial premises in Dora Creek.
He was taken to Toronto Police Station and charged with supply prohibited drug on an ongoing basis, deal with the proceeds of crime, and possess prohibited weapon. He was refused bail to appear at Toronto Local Court today (Wednesday 16 December 2020).
A 36-year-old man was arrested at a Kingfisher Shores property. He was taken to Toronto Police Station and charged with supply and posses prohibited drug, and possess restricted substance.
A 39-year-old woman was arrested at a Wyee property. She was taken to Toronto Police Station and charged with supply and possess prohibited drug and possess prohibited weapon.
A 48-year-old man was also arrested at a Wyee property. He was taken to Toronto Police Station and charged with possess prohibited weapon and breach weapons prohibition order.
All three were granted conditional bail to appear at Toronto Local Court on Tuesday 19 January 2021.
Investigations are ongoing.

A man has been charged with murder over the death of a three-month old infant in Newcastle earlier this year.
Emergency services were called to a unit on Fowler Street at Hamilton South about 10.40am on Tuesday 4 August 2020, after a three-month old girl was found unresponsive.
The infant was taken to John Hunter Hospital where she was declared deceased.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District established Strike Force Giffen to investigate the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death.
Following extensive inquiries, detectives attended a Maitland property about 11.30am today (Wednesday 16 December 2020) and arrested a 24-year-old man.
He was taken to Maitland Police Station and charged with murder and sexual intercourse with child under age of 10 years.
He was refused bail to appear at Maitland Local Court tomorrow (Thursday 17 December 2020).

A lively mix of theatre, dance, music and comedy will see the Civic Theatre shrug off its disrupted 2020 season with a vibrant new schedule of shows for the year ahead.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the launch of the 2021 subscription season came just days after the NSW Government rolled back more of its COVID-19 restrictions, allowing indoor venues to increase numbers of seated patrons to 75 per cent of capacity.

“It’s an opportune time for Novocastrians to get out of the house and back into the theatre to experience the exhilaration of hearing live music or the emotional journey of live theatre in person, and to share those experiences with friends or family in a COVID Safe way,” Cr Nelmes said.
“Few industries were hit harder by the economic impact of COVID-19 than the performing arts, with live performances among the first to shut down and the last to have audience restrictions eased.
“City of Newcastle adopted a highly proactive response to help mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on the creative and performing arts, introducing a wide range of programs and grants to support the sectors, while also continuing to plan for our inaugural flagship arts festival, New Annual, which will be held February 12-21, 2021.
“The Civic Theatre subscription season will provide another crucial boost to the embattled sector, while also delighting theatregoers with what is a perennial highlight on the arts calendar.
“I congratulate the Civic Theatre team for curating such a strong program for 2021 and encourage Novocastrians to consider taking advantage of the subscription options, which are a great way to plan a string of social occasions while making savings on the cost of a night out.”
While COVID-19 forced the suspension of most of the 2020 subscription season, Civic Theatre Manager Leonie Wallace said the new schedule provided an opportunity to reprogram many of the highlights from this year alongside some new gems for 2021.

“The season is designed to appeal to a wide range of tastes, including musicals, dramas, children’s shows, and this year features presentations from Opera Australia with Bizet’s Carmen and Sydney Dance Company’s Impermanence,” Ms Wallace said.
“It will also include standout favourites like The Wharf Revue, The Gospel According to Paul and both the Melbourne and Sydney comedy festivals, while local productions, Awkward by Catapult Dance and Do Your Parents Know You’re Straight? from Bearfoot Theatre will feature in February as part of New Annual, presented by City of Newcastle.”
The 2021 Civic Theatre Subscription Season goes on sale to the general public on Friday 18 December, following a special presale for current subscribers, which launched today.
The Civic Theatre 2021 Subscription Season brochure can be viewed at https://www.civictheatrenewcastle.com.au/season-2021.

A woman will face court today after being charged by counter terrorism police over alleged threats sent via social media at the weekend.
Just after 1pm on Sunday (13 December 2020), officers from Sydney City Police Area Command were contacted after a media organisation received threatening messages through social media.
An investigation was subsequently launched by the High Risk Terrorist Offenders Unit, and following inquiries, a 26-year-old woman was arrested with the assistance of officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District outside a unit complex at Mayfield about 11.10am yesterday (Monday 14 December 2020).
Investigators seized the woman’s mobile phone, which will undergo forensic examination, before she was taken to Waratah Police Station.
The Argenton woman was charged with use carriage service to menace/harass/offend and stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm.
Police will allege in court that the woman sent messages to the media organisation via social media and made various threats over a story that had been broadcast.
She has been refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Tuesday 15 December 2020).
Anyone with information about extremist activity or possible threats to the community should come forward, no matter how small or insignificant you may think the information may be. The National Security Hotline is 1800 123 400.
Further, information relating to any criminal activity in the community can be reported to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

A man has been charged following an investigation into a fatal crash at Lake Macquarie last month.
Emergency services were called to Wakefield Road, Ryhope, just before 7.30am on Sunday 29 November 2020, after a Toyota Corolla and a Hyundai Getz collided head-on, trapping both drivers.
The Hyundai driver, a 42year-old man, died at the scene
The Toyota driver, a 38-year-old man, was freed and taken to John Hunter Hospital suffering leg injuries. He also underwent mandatory testing.
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District established a crime scene with the Crash Investigation Unit commencing an investigation.
Following inquiries, the 38-year-old man was arrested at Waratah Police Station today (Monday 14 December 2020).
He was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death – drive manner dangerous, negligent driving (occasioning death), and not keep left of dividing line.
The Jesmond man was granted conditional bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 4 February 2021.

A man has been charged with high-range drink driving after allegedly being caught almost six times the legal limit at Port Stephens.
About 4.30pm yesterday (Sunday 13 December 2020), police were alerted to a Izuzu D-Max utility allegedly being driven erratically throughout the Tanilba Bay area.
A member of the public approached the vehicle after it mounted the kerb in a carpark on President Wilson Walk and stopped atop a garden bed. The keys were removed from the ignition and police were notified.
Officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended a short time later and spoke with the driver, a 49-year-old Mallabula man.
The driver was subjected to a roadside breath test, returning a positive result. He was arrested and taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station, where he underwent a breath analysis which allegedly returned a reading of 0.288.
He was issued with a Court Attendance Notice for the offence of high-range PCA. His licence was also suspended.
The man is due to face Raymond Terrace Local Court on Monday 11 January 2021.

Police are renewing an appeal to help locate a missing man in Lake Macquarie.
Patrick Thaidy, aged 60, was last seen at his home on Delasala Drive in Macquarie Hills about 12am on Sunday 6 December 2020.
Family members reported him missing to police later that day and officers from Lake Macquarie Police District commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District have conducted several searches in bushland in Macquarie Hills, with assistance from several emergency service resources.
Police and family members hold grave concerns for Patrick’s welfare due to medical conditions and he’s never gone missing this long.
As they continue their inquiries, police have released CCTV images of Patrick on the day he was last seen.
The first image and video is taken about 9.25am on Macquarie Road at Cardiff, the second image is about half an hour later from Macquarie Road at Warners Bay.
Police are asking members of the public who may have driven down Macquarie Road or Hillsborough Road on Sunday 6 December between 9am and 12-midday and who may have dashcam footage, or anyone who may have CCTV along either of these roads to check their footage for Patrick.
He is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 175cm tall, with a medium build, short black hair, scruffy facial hair and brown eyes. He is not currently wearing his dentures.
He was last seen wearing a dark coloured long sleeve shirt, light-grey tracksuit pants tucked into black socks, and white slides
Anyone who may have seen Patrick or knows his whereabouts is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A search will continue today for a man missing from Lake Macquarie since last week.
Patrick Thaidy, aged 60, was last seen at his home on Delasala Drive in Macquarie Hills about 12am on Sunday 6 December 2020.
Family members reported him missing to police later that day and officers from Lake Macquarie Police District commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District will this morning (Saturday 12 December) search bushland in Macquarie Hills, with assistance from Police Rescue, the Dog Unit, Westpac Helicopter and the SES.
Police and family members hold grave concerns for Patrick’s welfare due to medical conditions and he’s never gone missing this long.
Patrick is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 175cm tall, with a medium build, short black hair, scruffy facial hair and brown eyes. He is not currently wearing his dentures.
He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, light-grey tracksuit pants tucked into black socks, and white slides
Anyone who may have seen Patrick or knows his whereabouts is urged to contact police 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 information via NSW Police social media pages.

A man has been charged with murder following the death of another man in Newcastle overnight.
Shortly after 8pm (Saturday 12 December 2020), a 24-year-old man entered a service station on Sandgate Road, Shortland, allegedly armed with a knife.
He allegedly threatened an employee before running to a second service station, also on Sandgate Road, where he became involved in an argument with a 54-year-old man, who was walking his dog.
Witnesses have told police the argument became physical with the older man sustaining a stab wound to his abdomen; he died at the scene.
Following information received, officers from Newcastle City Police District attended a home on Sandgate Road where they attempted to speak with 24-year-old man without success, and the man was arrested after being Tasered.
He was taken to Newcastle Police Station where he has now been charged with murder; he’s been refused bail to appear in Newcastle Local Court later today (Sunday 13 December 2020).
Crime scenes have been established at both service stations on Sandgate Road, as well as the home where the man was arrested.
Initial inquiries suggest the two men were not know to each other.