Category: Newcastle News

A former foster carer has been charged following an investigation into the alleged indecent assaults of a girl in the Newcastle region.
Last month, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced an investigation following reports a young girl had been indecently assaulted by a man while she was in his care.
Following extensive investigations, detectives arrested a 42-year-old man at a home on the Central Coast just before 8am on Wednesday 19 February 2020.
He was taken to Wyong Police Station and charged with aggravated indecent assault- victim under authority of offender (x4) and commit act of indecency with person under 16 years.
Police will allege in court that the man indecently assaulted the girl – then aged nine – on several occasions while she was in his care in 2017.
The man was refused bail to appear at Wyong Local Court on 19 February 2020 where he was formally refused bail to re-appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Wednesday 4 March 2020).
 

The City will come alive this weekend with Newcastle hosting multiple major events including world class sport, live music and family entertainment.
There will be no shortage of things to do from Friday, with the Newcastle Show, Matildas versus Vietnam, Surfest final, The Drop music festival and Barrelled Food and Wine Festival expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the bumper weekend would provide an economic boost for the city while demonstrating Newcastle’s growing reputation as an ‘event city’.
“As thousands of visitors stream into Newcastle for the weekend, we’re poised to show-off our spectacular natural coastline, outstanding sporting facilities, and showstopping entertainment and cultural scene,” the Lord Mayor said.
The Matildas Australian women’s football team will vie for a ticket to Tokyo on Friday as they take on Vietnam at McDonald Jones Stadium in the first of two Olympic qualifying matches.
“City of Newcastle has been a strong supporter of women’s football, and we can’t wait to host the Matildas again at McDonald Jones Stadium,” Cr Nelmes said.
“I encourage all Novocastrians to show their support by turning out to the match to cheer on our hometown star Emily van Egmond and the team as they shoot for Olympic glory.
“Internationally, we’re attracting more major events, as showcased by the recent Asian Cup, Wallabies announcement and yet another Matildas fixture.”
Merewether Beach will be a hive of activity as the iconic Surfest celebrates its 35^th year on Newcastle’s sporting calendar. The event is the largest surfing festival in the southern hemisphere with over 850 national and international male and female competitors taking to Merewether Beach’s world-renowned waves.
Across town The Newcastle Show is set to deliver family fun from Friday to Sunday with rides and amusements, livestock parades, show jumping and various attractions such as speedway and motocross cars at Newcastle Showground. The long running event offers three days of entertainment with marching bands, fireworks, an agriculture pavilion, exhibition centre, a mini cinema and sideshow alley.
Surfest affiliated event Barrelled Food, Wine and Beer Festival will feature a fantastic line up of Hunter Valley wine producers, food from quality local restaurants as well as craft brewers in Jefferson Park alongside the action at Merewether Beach.
The good vibes will continue with The Drop Festival attracting hit Aussie artists to Empire Park for an event dedicated to the community, culture and a shared love of the ocean. The all ages annual music festival follows the World Surf League Championship League.
For more information about the weekend’s events, visit www.visitnewcastle.com.au/whats-on

Police are investigating after three cars were stolen and used during two break and enters in Lake Macquarie.
About 3.30am today (Tuesday 3 March) three people driving the stolen vehicles attended a service station at Wyee.
The three forced entry through an external toilet door, smashed through a wall and into the service station, where they took a safe containing a large sum of money and a large number of cigarettes.
One of the vehicles was left at the Wyee service station, with the three people continuing to another service station at Fennell Bay.
About 4.20am the two vehicles were used to smash a glass wall at the service station, before the three people attached a rope to an ATM and unsuccessfully tried to pull it from its location.
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District have established crime scenes at both locations and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
The vehicles involved were stolen between Saturday 29 March and today (Tuesday 3 March) from Cessnock, West Gosford and Scone.
The vehicles are a silver Toyota utility with the number plate CQ21JZ, a white Mitsubishi Pantech truck with the registration BT73PL and a white Mitsubishi Canter flatbed truck with the number plate CE78NR.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Lake Macquarie Police on (02) 4922 8899 or Crime Stoppers.
 

A man has died when a motorcycle crashed in the state’s Lake Macquarie region.
Just after 6.15pm (Monday 2 March 2020), emergency services were called to Mandalong Road, Mandalong, after reports of a crash.
Police believe the motorcyclist was travelling south when he left the roadway and crashed into trees.
The rider was treated by passing motorists until NSW Ambulance paramedics arrived but he died at the scene.
The man is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be aged in his 30s.
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District attended and established a crime scene, which was examined by specialist police.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

A woman will appear in court today charged with murder following the death of a man at Raymond Terrace at the weekend.
Emergency services were called to the intersection of Watt and Payton streets about 5.45am Saturday (29 February 2020), after the body of a 27-year-old man was found in the middle of the road.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District established a crime scene, which was examined by specialist forensic police.
Following inquiries, officers attached to Manning/Great Lakes and Mid North Coast Police Districts attended a motel in North Haven yesterday (Monday 2 March 2020), and arrested a 21-year-old woman on an outstanding warrant.
Detectives from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District have travelled to Port Macquarie Police Station and charged the woman with murder.
She has been refused bail to appear before Port Macquarie Local Court today (Tuesday 3 March 2020).
The man and woman are believed to have be known to each other.

An unlicensed driver will face court today charged with 29 offences, following a police pursuit in the state’s Hunter Region.
About 6pm yesterday (Sunday 1 March 2020), officers from Hunter Valley Police District were patrolling on the New England Highway at Blanford, about 60km north of Muswellbrook, when they attempted to stop a Great Wall X240 utility.
When the utility failed to stop, a police pursuit was initiated. It was terminated a short time later due to safety concerns.
The vehicle was later located parked in a carpark in Little Street, Murrurundi, and the driver, a 27-year-old woman, was arrested nearby.
She allegedly refused to undergo a roadside breath test and was taken to Muswellbrook Police Station.
The woman was charged with 29 offences, including:

• four counts of dishonestly obtain property by deception,
• five counts of use unregistrable motor vehicle on road,
• five counts of use uninsured motor vehicle,
• five counts of licence expired 2 years or more before,
• two counts of use vehicle displaying misleading number plate,
• two counts of use vehicle displaying altered number plate,
• police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously,
• drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous,
• motor vehicle exceed speed > 30 km/h,
• overtake vehicle when unsafe,
• refuse or fail to submit to breath test, and
• goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen.

Police will allege in court that the woman, who is an unlicensed driver, had altered her number plates by attaching mailbox stickers, purchased from a hardware store.
The Broken Hill woman was refused bail to appear at Muswellbrook Local Court today (Monday 2 March 2020).
Investigations are continuing.

Police have reunited a stolen puppy with its owners in Newcastle today.
About 2.30pm on Wednesday 26 February 2020, police were called after ‘Athena’, an 11-week-old American Staffordshire Terrier, was stolen from the balcony of a home on Parry Street, Cooks Hill.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District commenced inquiries and appealed to the community for assistance.
Acting on information from the community, officers from Lake Macquarie Police District stopped a 34-year-old man with the alleged stolen puppy on Court House Lane in Toronto about 11.20am yesterday (Saturday 29 February 2020).
The man was arrested and taken to Toronto Police Station, where he was charged with steal dog and possess stolen dog.
Police will allege in court that the man saw the dog when walking past the home and stole it.
He was granted conditional bail and is due to appear in Toronto Local Court on Tuesday 10 March 2020.
The dog was taken to Belmont Police Station, where she was given water and playtime, before being taken back to her very happy owners.

Investigations are underway after the body of a man was found in the state’s Hunter region today.
About 5.45am (Saturday 29 February 2020), emergency services were called to the intersection of Watt Street and Payton Street, Raymond Terrace, after the body of a man was found in the middle of the road.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The man is yet to be formally identified.
As investigations continue, anyone with information or who may have seen anything suspicious in the area are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A man will appear in court today after being found in possession of an unregistered firearm yesterday.
About 2.20pm on Thursday 27 February 2020, a 21-year-old was walking south along the Pacific Highway, Belmont, when passing police allegedly noticed a man in possession of what was believed to be a pistol.
Officers approached the man where he resisted arrest for a short time.
He was arrested shortly after before police searched the man and located a pistol.
Following an inspection of the weapon, it was determined to be a modified gel blaster.
The man was taken to Belmont Police Station and charged with possess unregistered firearm in public place, possess unregistered prohibited firearm and resist arrest.
He was refused bail to face Belmont Local Court today (Friday 28 February 2020).
Lake Macquarie Commander, Superintendent Danny Sullivan APM, said police will always treat instances with imitation weapons as if they real firearms to ensure the safety of the community.
“Imitation firearms can often be hard to distinguish from the real deal, as they are modelled closely on real weapons.
“If a weapon looks real, officers will treat it as authentic until such a time that the weapon can be analysed – public safety will always come first,” Supt Sullivan said.