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Terence Kelly confesses to abducting Cleo Smith

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p>Cleo Smith’s abductor Terence Kelly has confessed to kidnapping the four-year-old from her family tent and keeping her captive for 18 days.</p> <p>Kelly, 36, was arrested after detectives raided his Carnarvon house at 12.46 am on November 3rd and found the little girl alone inside a bedroom playing with toys.</p> <p>The next day Terence was charged with child abduction and flown to Perth where he remains in custody at Casuarina Prison. During an appearance in Carnarvon Magistrate’s Court on Monday, Kelly pleaded guilty to child abduction via video link.</p> <p>Kelly appeared solemn and spent much of the hearing looking down. He spoke only one word, ‘guilty’, when asked by Magistrate Ben White what his plea to the kidnapping charge was.</p> <p>He admitted taking Cleo from her family’s tent on October the 16th at Quobba Blowholes campsite as her parents slept metres away.</p> <p>Following one of the largest missing persons investigations in Australian history, Cleo was rescued 18 days later after four detectives stormed Kelly’s home in a midnight raid.</p> <p>In the days after Cleo’s rescue, WA Police acting Commissioner Col Blanch said mobile phone data and CCTV footage of a car entering Carnarvon the night Cleo vanished led police to raid Kelly’s house.</p> <p>The details of why Kelly took Cleo, or how police solved the case, are yet to be revealed in court.</p> <p>Cleo’s family have declined to speak to media since her safe return, only issuing a statement thanking the community for its support and requesting privacy.</p> <p>The Nine Network, which publishes this masthead, will pay almost $2 million for an interview with the family in what is believed to be one of the largest deals in Australian television history.</p> <p>Outside court, before Kelly’s admission, a former neighbour of Kelly’s, Esther Mingo, told media she hoped Kelly would “open his mouth up” and tell the truth.</p> <p>She also voiced repeated frustration that none of his family members were attending his court hearings.</p> <p>“He’s got stacks of family ... where are his mother and father, why don’t they come here?” she said.</p> <p>After the hearing, Ms Mingo and two other women refused to speak to the media. His lawyer, Kate Turtley-Chappel, also declined to comment.</p> <p>Kelly will appear in Perth District Court on March 25th for a date to be set for his sentencing.</p>

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Terence Darrell Kelly's nanna speaks out

<p>After a recent court appearance, Terence Darrell Kelly's nanna has spoken about about the alleged abduction of Cleo Smith. </p> <p>Speaking to reporters outside the Carnarvon courthouse, Esther Mingo said she is concerned for Terence's safety while he remains in Perth's <span>maximum-security Casuarina Prison.</span></p> <p><span>“We all know what Casuarina prison is (like). People go there and spend life and they kill people. They belt them until they kill them,” she said, adding that she hoped Terence was being kept in isolation and away from other prisoners.</span></p> <p><span>Esther went on to say that she "cried and cried" when she learned of Terence's arrest in relation to the abduction of 4-year-old Cleo </span>Smith. </p> <p>She described Terence as a “nice person” and said she was going to ask him to “tell me the truth” when she went to visit him in prison on Tuesday.</p> <p>“I do feel upset. I need something to be done right for him,” she said.</p> <p>Terence Kelly appeared via video link in the Carnarvon Local Court, where he was charged with multiple offences, including forcibly taking a child under 16. </p> <p>His recent court appearance was the first time he was seen since he was escorted onto a plane by police a month ago. </p> <p>He was not considered eligible for bail and was remanded in custody.</p> <p>He will next appear in court on January 24 for a hearing for further legal advice.</p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News / WA Police</em></p>

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Why Terence Darrell Kelly’s neighbour is clearing out

<p><em>Images: 7NEWS</em></p> <p>The neighbour of accused Cleo Smith kidnapper, Terence Kelly is so scared of what will happen once police leave the area that he’s packing up and leaving.</p> <p>Ever since Cleo was found at the home 18 days after she went missing, there has been a strong police presence at the Carnarvon property.</p> <p>Detectives and forensic officers have been at the Tonkin Crescent house each day, but security guards have also protected the house from vandalism or vigilante attacks while Kelly is in custody and police carry out their work.</p> <p>Kelly’s neighbour believes once police and security presence stops, the duplex could become the target “revenge” attacks and vandalism.</p> <p>“The house will be smashed,” he told 7NEWS.</p> <p>“A lot of people are disappointed and angry about what has happened, so there’s a greater chance that once the police are gone, we expect something will happen.</p> <p>“100 per cent sure they will come here and smash the house.”</p> <p>As he was packing up on Thursday, Kelly’s neighbour showed 7NEWS through his property, which is a mirror image of the home next door where Cleo Smith was held captive.</p> <p>The two bedrooms are positioned away from the common wall, which is hardly sound proofed, with only fibro and a timber frame separating the living rooms of the two properties.</p> <p>“I find it hard to know that it was right next door to me. It took me a while to absorb it.”</p> <p>Kelly was described as the perfect neighbour. He didn’t drink, didn’t smoke or take drugs and the two would occasionally chat when taking the bins out. Kelly would keep an eye on his house if he was away.</p> <p>Kelly’s neighbour has been offered a new place to live in wake of what allegedly happened next door.</p> <p>Police have stripped Kelly’s home gathering evidence, all but the sleeping bag which still remains missing.</p> <p>Police tape is set to come down once a final sweep of the home has been done. Those who have become accustomed to street presence have growing fears about what might happen next.</p>

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Chocolate lovers rejoice: Darrell Lea launches new range after 92 years

<p>More and more beloved Aussie brands are stepping into the chocolate game. A month ago, <a href="https://twitter.com/ArnottsBikkies/status/1121688038764007424">Arnott’s</a> released a new range of chocolate blocks based on their classic biscuits – and now, Darrell Lea has followed suit.</p> <p>The confectionary maker, which is well-known for its liquorice bullets, has finally launched its own range of chocolate blocks for the first time in the company’s 92-year history.</p> <p>It comes in six flavours, including classic varieties from the brand such as liquorice, peanut brittle and Rocklea Road, as well as new selections like Fruitier &amp; Nuttier, Peppermint Partytime and Caramel Craving.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByCgbu0n4QH/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByCgbu0n4QH/" target="_blank">A post shared by Darrell Lea (@darrelllea)</a> on May 29, 2019 at 1:08am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Since the new products hit the shelves weeks ago, fans have praised the fresh take on their favourite treats.</p> <p>“Great chocolate bars. Excellent taste and smoothness without being too sweet,” one reviewed.</p> <p>“Just bought the new Rocklea Road block and it was absolutely delicious and jam packed with flavour,” another commented.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">My god. Has Darrell Lea just released the ultimate pave <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TourSnacks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TourSnacks</a>? <a href="https://t.co/Crl7L19ds4">pic.twitter.com/Crl7L19ds4</a></p> — Beth (@zahribeth) <a href="https://twitter.com/zahribeth/status/1133575528739270656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/DarrellLea_AU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DarrellLea_AU</a> has made <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheBest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheBest</a> soft licorice since my childhood. Nothing has changed except I'm spoilt for choice. <a href="https://t.co/fTX93guK8G">pic.twitter.com/fTX93guK8G</a></p> — tarkan orada (@TarkanOrada) <a href="https://twitter.com/TarkanOrada/status/1133638241041625088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">You know how those Cadbury blocks have little hard marshmallows in them and it kind of ruins your whole day?<br /><br />These Darrell Lea blocks have actual marshmallows. Fluffy ones. A+. <a href="https://t.co/KOhdjKsewj">pic.twitter.com/KOhdjKsewj</a></p> — anna spargo-ryan (@annaspargoryan) <a href="https://twitter.com/annaspargoryan/status/1132799234099433473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“We make some of Australia’s favourite confectionery products and we knew these would translate perfectly into a block format,” said Tim York, CEO at Darrell Lea.</p> <p>“We also thought we could improve on a few great flavour combinations … so we did. It’s time the confectionery aisle got a shake up and we’re excited to be doing it.”</p> <p>The new chocolate blocks are now available exclusively at Woolworths.</p> <p>The confectionary company has pulled its ‘No Worries Jan’ ad campaign for the new range after the Yellow Pages issued a cease and desist letter. In a statement, Darrell Lea said it “wanted to celebrate a classic Australian television ad”, referring to the iconic ‘Not Happy Jan’ campaign from the early 2000s.</p> <p>“As an Australian company with a 92-year heritage, we wanted to give an iconic ad a new lease of life and from the comments we received, the response was extremely positive.</p> <p>“However, [Yellow Pages’ parent company] Sensis has demanded that we shut down our campaign through its lawyers.”</p> <p><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fPOO0emzAaY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>

Food & Wine

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Good news for chocolate lovers! One of your favourite brands is coming back

<p>It’s been an Aussie favourite for decades, and after a tumultuous period, Australian confectioner Darrell Lea is making a comeback.</p> <p>The company was forced to shut down all its stores back in 2012 after going into administration, but now, the new owners of the classic brand will be opening up a “chocolate centre of excellence” in Melbourne’s southeast.</p> <p>The opening of the chocolate factory will create 50 jobs and plans to increase production have been put in place for early next year.</p> <p>Currently, Darrell Lea operates through a factory located in Ingleburn in Sydney’s southwest.</p> <p>The chocolatier does not have its own standalone stores, but rather prefers to sell its items through supermarkets and other retailers.</p> <p>Tim Stanford, the marketing director, spoke about Darrell Lea's relationship with Heritage, who were previously responsible for producing Easter eggs and other various chocolates for the company.</p> <p>“Their [Heritage] capabilities plus the Darrell Lea brand equals a big opportunity for all of us.</p> <p>“It’s great for us to be manufacturing in Melbourne and there’s new job opportunities coming from it.”</p> <p>Previous employees for Heritage will now work for Darrell Lea due to the takeover but according to Mr Stanford, 50 more jobs could be added early next year.</p> <p>“We will use it as our centre of excellence for chocolate and we will need more staff.”</p> <p>But if you were looking forward to Darrell Lea opening up their own stores, well prepare to be disappointed as at this current moment, the company has no plans in doing that.</p> <p>“It’s always a possibility but we don’t have any solid plans to become a retailer. But never say never,” said Mr Stanford.</p> <p>Every year, Darrell Lea manufactures a whopping 40,000km of liquorice and 400 million chocolate-covered bullets.</p> <p>“We are known for chocolate interestingly although we don’t do much chocolate now, mainly on bullets,” Mr Stanford said.</p> <p>Chief executive of Darrell Lea also had a few words to say: “Until now, we have always been viewed as a Sydney company but with manufacturing expansion into Victoria we can forge stronger relationships with our retailers and consumers.”</p> <p>When the brand collapsed in 2012, it was the Quinn family, who are responsible for VIP Pet Foods, who took over. This year, they sold the business to Quadrant Private Equity and received around $200 million in return. </p>

Money & Banking

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Legendary sports broadcaster Darrell Eastlake dies after long battle with Alzheimer’s

<p>Iconic sports broadcaster Darrell Eastlake has died aged 75 after fighting a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease and emphysema.</p> <p>Eastlake, best known as the booming voice of State of Origin, passed away at a nursing home on the NSW Central Coast.</p> <p>His wife of 22 years Julie was by his side through it all, visiting him every day at his aged care facility.</p> <p>“I'm the only one who can still get a laugh out of him,” she said previously.</p> <p>“Sometimes he forgets who I am, like Christmas Day one year he actually told me 'thank you for coming to visit but you should be getting along to your family’.”</p> <p><img width="442" height="249" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/05/13/00/3419FF4200000578-3576172-image-a-5_1463094191481.jpg" alt="Darrell Eastlake, 73, with wife Julie. The couple had been married 22 years" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-6621b692ef126e98"/></p> <p>The rugby league and Commonwealth Games commentator’s death comes 13 years after he retired from his media career in 2005.</p> <p>Fellow broadcasting legend Ken Sutcliffe recalled working alongside the big personality.</p> <p>“Darrell used to get to a fever pitch from very early on in the game,” Sutcliffe told The Daily Telegraph in 2013.</p> <p>“He’d get so excited that David Hill, our executive producer, stood behind Darrell in the broadcast box at Lang Park with a rolled up Courier Mail.</p> <p> “He’d belt him over the head if he started getting too carried away but Darrell just kept on calling in his own unique style.</p> <p>“He had his own unique style. You heard his voice and you knew you were watching State of Origin.</p> <p>Eastlake loved all sport and also called surfing, 500cc Motorcycle World Championship, Formula One and weightlifting in a career that spanned four decades.</p>

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