Category: Newcastle News

A man has been charged over an alleged assault and investigations are continuing into an alleged incident of child neglect in the Hunter region.
Yesterday (Monday 15 April 2019), a nine-year-old girl presented at John Hunter Hospital unresponsive and with bruising after doctors were told she consumed food containing an illicit drug and may have been given non-prescribed medication.
Forensic analysis and pathology testing is currently being conducted.
The girl remains in hospital and her condition is being monitored.
Detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced an investigation and following inquiries, a 28-year-old man was arrested at a home at Raymond Terrace just before 9pm yesterday.
He was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
It will be alleged in court the man, who is known to the girl, assaulted her, causing bruising.
The man was refused bail to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court today (Tuesday 16 April 2019).
Investigations are continuing.
Police are reminding parents and carers to remove any non-prescribed medication or adulterated food from areas that can be accessed by children to prevent the risk of exposure to and ingestion of potentially dangerous substances.
The Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad is comprised of detectives who are specially trained to investigate matters against children and adults, including sexual assault, serious physical abuse, and extreme cases of neglect.
Anyone with concerns about suspected child abuse or exploitation should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. People should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon joined with workers and their representatives today to call out the Morrison Government for ‘savage cuts’ at the Newcastle ATO.
Ms Claydon said twenty per cent of jobs have gone from the Newcastle ATO since 2013.
“The Government says it wants to get more workers into the regions, but they’ve cut 150 jobs from the Newcastle ATO since they came to power,” Ms Claydon said.
“People are retiring and they’re not being replaced, and workers are under increasing pressure. I worry that this may just be the start.”
Ms Claydon also identified at ‘exploitative labour hire practices’ as a key problem.
“The Government is brazenly disregarding the pay rates and conditions enshrined in employment agreements by filling vacancies with temporary labour hire workers,” Ms Claydon said.
“This is exploitation, pure and simple. Labour hire workers are expected to perform the same duties as their colleagues for less pay and none of the workplace rights like sick leave and holiday pay.”
Ms Claydon said the Federal Government’s cap on staff hiring was forcing many agencies to turn to expensive labour hire companies for workers.
“Analysis of the AusTender website shows the Liberals have more than tripled labour hire spending, from $307 million in 2013-14 to more than $1.1billion in 2017-18,” Ms Claydon said.
“The taxpayer is paying more, but workers are getting less because of labour hire fees. The only winners here are labour hire companies’ bottom lines. It’s an absolute outrage.”
Ms Claydon said Labor would make it illegal for labour hire companies to drive down pay and conditions for temporary workers.
“Labor believes if you do the same job, you shouldn’t be paid any less. We will legislate to ensure that workers hired through a labour hire company get the same pay and conditions as people employed directly,” Ms Claydon said.
“Labor will also abolish the Liberals’ arbitrary staffing cap and give agencies the freedom to set their own staffing levels based on what they need and their overall operational budgets.”
Ms Claydon said wages, job security and working conditions would be key battlegrounds for the upcoming election.
“At the moment, too many Australian workers are subject to unfair labour hire practices, and treated like second class citizens with lower wages, substandard conditions and little security,” Ms Claydon said.
“While the Government has admitted to low wages being a ‘design feature’ of its industrial relations, Labor has led the way on policy to deliver decent jobs, higher wages and secure work.”

Police are appealing for information from the community to locate a man wanted for revocation of parole.
Michael Leroy, also known as Michael West, is wanted for a revocation of parole warrant for sexual assault offences.
Mr Leroy, aged 22, was last seen in the Maitland area about 8.30pm on Saturday 2 March 2019. Police have conducted numerous inquiries; however, Mr Leroy has not been located.
Mr Leroy is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 170cm tall, with a thin build. He has short black hair, brown eyes, and a tattoo on his lower left arm with the word ‘Destiny’.
He is known to frequent the Muswellbrook, Westmead, Holroyd, and Blacktown areas.
If sighted, members of the community are urged not to approach Mr Leroy but to instead contact Triple Zero (000) immediately.
 

An armed man has robbed a charity organisation at Wickam, near Newcastle overnight.
About 8.30pm (Saturday 13 April 2019), a man armed with a pistol entered the mission on Hannell Street and threatened two men before demanding they hand over money.
The man then produced a knife making further threats towards the men. He walked behind the counter and stole cash from a register and left the scene and was last seen running west on Greenway Street.
He is described as being about 180cm tall with a medium build, wearing dark clothing with his face covered.
The men were not injured during the incident and investigations are continuing.

Police are investigating a carjacking at Cessnock.
About 4.30am today (Saturday 13 April 2019), two men, aged 30 and 24, were sitting in a Ford Territory on Ironbark Lane, Cessnock, when they were approached by two unknown males, armed with an axe, bat and a knife, who forced them from the vehicle and threatened them, demanding property.
They were given some property before fleeing the scene in the Territory.
The victims reported the incident and the older man was taken to Cessnock Hospital suffering minor injuries.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District commenced inquiries into the incident and are asking for any witnesses or anyone with information that could assist the investigation to come forward.

A potential new Business Improvement Association (BIA) for The Junction, reactivation of the Mayfield BIA and up to $100,000 in annual funding for each of the City’s existing four BIAs are among reforms recommended in a report to be considered by Council next week.
The Review of Business Improvement Associations (BIAs) in Newcastle, which Council will consider for public exhibition on 16 April, recommends that all Special Benefit Rate Levy (SBRL) funding above $100,000 be opened up to the community for awarding.
Under this arrangement, up to $800,000 will later this year be allocated to a free market of ideas to deliver events and projects in the City Centre, Hamilton, Mayfield, Wallsend and New Lambton.
In addition to secured funding of $100,000, BIAs will also be eligible to apply for grants from the contestable funds.
City CEO Jeremy Bath said grant applications will be considered if a community group has a project or event that meets the strict objective of defraying the cost of promoting, beautifying or developing the City Centre (including Darby Street), Hamilton, Mayfield, New Lambton or Wallsend.
“AECOM’s report provides a strong rationale for the proposed changes to the BIA structure, which I believe is a necessary and natural step to support the city’s changing economic climate,” he said.
“Since the BIAs were formed almost a decade ago, Council has become far more strategic in its planning. It’s critical that the work funded by the BIAs support our Events Plan and Destination Management Plan as well as the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan.
“BIAs have the potential to play an important role in partnering with the City to deliver exciting initiatives that stimulate activity in areas including the CBD, Wallsend, Mayfield and Hamilton.
“The BIAs have collectively received more than $8 million from ratepayers since 2012. However, some of the BIAs have struggled to maximise the return on the funds they have been provided. Competition is what is now needed to bring about fresh ideas for how this money is best invested in the activation of these areas.
“Financial information from the BIAs confirm an excessive amount of ratepayers’ money has been allocated to employing staff, paying rent, hiring consultants and even on projects occurring outside their precinct.
“By introducing competition, we’ll see a number of dynamic new events and projects arise throughout the city.
“I expect the BIAs to respond positively to the requirement to compete for some of the funds they were previously the exclusive recipient of. The difference is that the BIAs will now need to demonstrate that their ideas are indeed the best ideas.
“AECOM has relied on financial data provided by the BIAs to form its recommendations. The financial records of Hamilton and Wallsend show that when administration and contractor costs are removed from their annual expenses, they invest around $100,000 annually into the delivery of local events.
“This means in the case of the Hamilton BIA sufficient funding will exist to continue delivering events such as Beaumont Carnivale, China Week and the Supercars Street Parade.
“In the case of Wallsend, they will also be able to continue funding the Wallsend Winter Fair and the Back in Time Festival.
“The change in funding will however significantly affect Newcastle Now. I’ve previously made clear my expectation that Newcastle Now should be spending their funding on events and projects rather than employees.
“Their audited annual financial statements confirm that approximately $1.5 million has been spent on employees during the past few years. If you need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars employing people to deliver a project then you are delivering the wrong type of event.
“An independent investigation into Newcastle Now last year found four significant breaches of the funding agreement it signed with Council in 2011.
“Newcastle Now’s failure to lodge an annual business plan is well known. What is less known is that Newcastle Now is required to hold all funds it receives on trust for Council in a separate trust account. Although Newcastle Now did establish such an account, there was no evidence this account was held on trust for Council.
“Further, the investigation found Newcastle Now has routinely transferred funds from the Investment Account into its working account. This meant that money paid by ratepayers became co-mingled with general expenses.
“Newcastle Now was also required to keep accurate records and accounts in relation to its use of the Special Rate monies for at least seven years. The investigation found that there are no records or accounts of actual project expenditure beyond the initial 2 years of the agreement with Council.
“Newcastle Now, like any other applicant for the contestable funding, will need to demonstrate that they now have a strong and transparent structure in place that ensures every dollar of ratepayers’ money is used in strict accordance with any future agreement with Council.”
To view the report going to Council on Tuesday, visit http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/Council/About-Council/council-meetings.

A man has been charged with numerous offences including ‘up-skirting’ after he was allegedly found to be in possession of child abuse material in Charlestown this week.
About 4pm on Wednesday 10 April 2019, police attached to the Lake Macquarie Target Action Group noticed a 52-year-old man walking along the Pacific Highway, Charlestown.
Officers arrested the man in relation to an incident that occurred on Friday 5 April 2019 on an escalator at a shopping centre in Charlestown where he was allegedly filming up a young woman’s skirt.
The man’s mobile phone was seized and examined by officers who allegedly located an amount of child abuse material and child grooming offences.
A search warrant was executed at the man’s New Lambton Heights home where officers allegedly located electronic equipment containing further child abuse material.
The man was charged at Belmont Police Station with film persons private parts without consent, possess child abuse material, use carriage service to solicit child abuse material and use carriage service to transmit/publish/promote child abuse.
The man appeared before Toronto Local Court today (Friday 12 April 2019), and was refused bail to appear before Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 24 April 2019.

A man will appear in court today after being charged with the aggravated indecent assault of a woman on a train at Newcastle yesterday.
About 8.40am on Wednesday 10 April 2019, a 19-year-old woman was waiting on the platform at Cardiff Railway Station, to travel to work.
Police have been told that a man approached the woman and attempted to engage her in conversation.
The man allegedly tried to kiss the woman, but she pushed him away.
The woman then boarded a train and was followed by the man who sat next to her.
Police will allege that during the journey the man kissed and touched the woman without her consent.
As the woman attempted to leave the train, the man allegedly grabbed her, but was interrupted by another passenger.
The woman contacted a relative, and police were informed.
The man was arrested nearby and conveyed to Newcastle Police Station where he was charged with aggravated sexual touching (x2).
He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Thursday 11 April 2019).