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“Witnesses” in William Tyrrell case turned away by police

<p dir="ltr">Several potential witnesses who claim to have spotted William Tyrrell after he went missing in 2014 allege that they were dismissed by police, with phone calls to Crime Stoppers also going unanswered.</p> <p dir="ltr">One woman claims to have seen the child near Uluru one year after he was reported missing, with another four people claiming they had valuable information that was ignored by authorities. </p> <p dir="ltr">As <em><a href="http://news.com.au/">news.com.au</a></em> continues their investigative podcast into Tyrrell’s disappearance, the podcast spoke to the witnesses who were allegedly ignored by police, as one woman said she “felt sick” after being dismissed when trying to report another possible sighting of William.</p> <p dir="ltr">A third possible witness said he was “p***ed off with Crime Stoppers not taking me seriously”.</p> <p dir="ltr">After the then three-year-old disappeared from Kendall on the mid North coast of New South Wales, NSW Police were inundated with information.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the following two years, there were around 2,800 calls to Crime Stoppers, and more than 1,000 possible sightings of William, with many of these tips being followed up at the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">While speaking with the podcast, one potential witness, Lois Barry, believed she saw William travelling with a group of four adults and several young children when she was on a trip to Australia’s red centre in 2015.</p> <p dir="ltr">She said she had an encounter with a blonde woman at a petrol station in Marla, South Australia, who told Ms Barry she was from the east coast of NSW.</p> <p dir="ltr">As soon as Ms Barry went into a free cubicle, she claimed the woman said: “You can come out now, Will.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Barry said she saw the group again at a campsite later that night, and recognised one of the group from media reports of William’s disappearance.</p> <p dir="ltr">The boy was younger than the other children in the group and she felt he was being “hidden” by them, she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">One of the adults with the group was the blonde woman, as Ms Barry took a photo of the woman and noted down the registration numbers of the vehicles in which the group were travelling.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Barry told <em>news.com.au</em> she tried to report her potential sighting at the time by visiting a local police station, only to be cut off by an officer who said he was busy, and told her “don’t worry about it”.</p> <p dir="ltr">She then called Crime Stoppers “two or three times” to report what she had seen, but she said, “Crime Stoppers rang me back and said it was nothing.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Barry said she has never heard directly from police.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For all those years … that was just eating at me,” she said, breaking down as she described her fears of what might have happened to William.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another potential witness, Richard Brindle, said he contacted Crime Stoppers shortly after police appealed for information about two cars “parked strangely with the driver windows down” outside the house where William was reported missing.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite multiple reports to Crime Stoppers, Mr Brindle said he never heard back.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I had some fresh information at the time, and I rang Crime Stoppers twice. And they must have thought I was some nut job or whatever,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was a bit p***ed off with Crime Stoppers not taking me seriously. It’s very serious stuff, it’s a boy’s life. And they didn’t even bother to interview me. I thought, ‘What a joke. No one seems to care’.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: NSW Police</em></p> <p></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p> </p>

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Police share major update on woman's lawnmower death

<p>The death of Frances Crawford is now being treated as suspicious, more than two months after she tragically <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/police-officially-declare-woman-s-lawnmower-death-suspicious" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died</a>. </p> <p>The 49-year-old was found dead on an Upper Lockyer property in Queensland shortly before 4am on July 30th, with paramedics initially reporting the incident as a "mower rollover".</p> <p>However, as the investigation into her death continues, police have now alleged that she was murdered.</p> <p>“Investigations are underway by the Crime and Intelligence Command Homicide Group and Gatton Criminal Investigation Branch into the circumstances that lead to her death,” Regional Crime Coordinator Detective Superintendent George Marchesini said.</p> <p>Superintendent Marchesini said several lines of inquiry were being pursued by homicide detectives, while forensic testing and analysis of how Ms Crawford ended up in that location remain under investigation.</p> <p>One of the lines of inquiry being pursued involve the alleged relationship Frances' husband Robert had with “multiple women”.</p> <p>“We believe there were women who were involved in relationships with Mr Crawford who may have information about Mrs Crawford that will assist with this investigation,” Superintendent Marchesini said.</p> <p>“Mr Crawford may have met these women on dating applications, and through his personal and professional life.”</p> <p>nvestigators revealed Mr Crawford had connected with women in Italy, United States of America, Papua New Guinea, Guam, Afghanistan, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and every state in Australia bar South Australia and Tasmania.</p> <p>“We are particularly interested in speaking with people who knew of Frances or Robert Crawford and their personal circumstances, including their marriage,” Superintendent Marchesini continued.</p> <p>According to police, Mr Crawford was at the property on the night his wife died and has been assisting police since her death, and has not been charged.</p> <p>Superintendent Marchesini said a number of people had provided information since the last public appeal.</p> <p>“The past few months have been extremely challenging for Frances’s family and her children, who are desperate for answers, and it’s time for those with information, no matter how small, to come forward,” Superintendent Marchesini said.</p> <p>Anyone with information that can assist with investigations and who had connections with the address or Mrs Frances Crawford or Mr Robert Crawford, as a couple or outside of the marriage, is encouraged to come forward and contact police.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Crawford Family / 7News</em></p>

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Police commissioner faces his son's killer in court

<p>The South Australian police commissioner has faced the young man accused of killing his son in a hit and run in an Adelaide court, sharing an emotional statement about his family's grief. </p> <p>Randhawa, 19, was behind the wheel when he struck Charlie Stevens, 18, who was out celebrating schoolies with his friends. </p> <p>Randhawa has pleaded guilty to aggravated driving without due care and leaving an accident scene after causing death, as Charlie died from his irreversible brain injuries following the crash. </p> <p>“Not a single day goes by when we don’t talk about Charlie, when we don’t talk about him together, there is not a day when we don’t shed a tear thinking about our son and how much we miss him,” Commissioner Grant Stevens said. </p> <p>“Charlie would have been 19 on the 28th of April this year, but instead of celebrating it, it took all our efforts just to get through the day. And we know that that grief is with us for the rest of our lives.”</p> <p>Mr Stevens then addressed Randhawa directly as he said, “We acknowledge you have taken responsibility for what you have done and we are sure this has been difficult for you.”</p> <p>“But you get to move on and the people close to you still have you in their lives. We don’t have Charlie and we want you to remember that.”</p> <p>Charlie’s sister Sophie Tregloan also addressed Randhawa, saying, “Do I hate you? Yes, I absolutely do – but what I hate most is what you’ve taken from myself and my family.”</p> <p>“You have taken so much from us in a split second dumb decision. It’s Charlie’s heart I will miss the most. He was kind, inclusive of all, a pillar of strength.”</p> <p>Randhawa then delivered an emotional apology to the Stevens’ family, saying, “You’re always on my mind and so is Charlie and you will be forever.”</p> <p>“There’s so much I’d like to say but mostly I want to say I’m sorry, and I’m sorry Charlie.”</p> <p>Judge Joanne Tracey is still considering an appropriate sentence for Randhawa, who is out on bail.</p> <p><em>Image credits: SA Police / Facebook</em></p>

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Police issue AVO to protect Larry Emdur

<p>Larry Emdur has had an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) taken out to protect him, days after he won the Gold Logie. </p> <p>The order has been taken out by NSW police on behalf of the TV host against a Victorian man, who allegedly attempted to gain access to the Channel Seven office on Central Ave, Eveleigh on Thursday August 22 at around 11.15am. </p> <p>According to the Daily Telegraph, the man "allegedly walked into the Central Ave building, past a security desk and got into a lift before demanding to see the much loved TV host." </p> <p>The publication also reported that police issued the AVO as they were concerned for Emdur's safety. </p> <p>“Officers from South Sydney Police Area Command attended and spoke with a 52-year-old man who had been escorted from the building by security,” NSW Police said in a statement.</p> <p>The man was arrested and taken to hospital for assessment before he was then taken to Surry Hills Police Station. </p> <p>He was charged with trespass and possession of a prohibited drug. </p> <p>The man faced Downing Centre Local Court where he was granted conditional bail and is due to reappear on September 5.</p> <p>His conditions include not entering Central Ave, the suburb of Haymarket, or within 200m of the Channel 7 office. </p> <p>The 52-year-old has also been ordered to report to Redfern Police Station daily. </p> <p>Court records show the AVO protecting Emdur is set to be mentioned in court on September 16. </p> <p>The arrest came just days after Emdur took the top award at the 2024 Logies on August 18. </p> <p><em>Images: Larry Emdur/Instagram</em></p>

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Police officially declare woman's lawnmower death "suspicious"

<p>Frances Crawford, 49, was found dead on an Upper Lockyer property in Queensland shortly before 4am on Tuesday, with paramedics initially reporting the incident as a "mower rollover".</p> <p>But on Thursday Queensland police provided an update on the investigation, and are now treating her death as suspicious – with Frances' husband the focus of the investigation. </p> <p>“A 49-year-old woman was located with critical injuries and passed away at the scene,” police said.</p> <p>“Further investigations have led police to deem the death as suspicious and investigations are underway into the circumstances.”</p> <p>Police are still waiting on the results of forensics testing. </p> <p>Crawford was a dedicated psychologist at Quality Life Psychology Services in the Toowoomba suburb of Kearneys Spring. </p> <p>Her colleagues have expressed their shock over her untimely death and paid tribute to their team member. </p> <p>“We remember Frances Crawford as a very skilled psychologist and valued and respected team member in the Quality Life Psychology Services family,” the clinic said in a statement.</p> <p>“Frances was a true professional and was highly regarded by her clients and colleagues.</p> <p>“At this time, we are all still stunned and coming to terms at the news of her untimely demise, and we extend to her immediate and church families our most sincere condolences.</p> <p>“Frances will be sorely missed by all.”</p> <p>Her grieving family also paid tribute in a statement shared on Thursday afternoon. </p> <p>“Frances had a loving heart and she always saw the best in others,” they wrote. </p> <p>“She cared deeply about the people around her and put their needs before her own.”</p> <p>Her family said her “gentle grace and compassionate nature” will be missed by all who knew her, especially her church and work families.</p> <p>“God was at the centre of Frances’ life,” they wrote.</p> <p>“She loved Jesus, and it is a great comfort to her family and friends that she is now at peace in heaven.”</p> <p>“A wonderful wife and mother to three fantastic children, a treasured daughter, sister and niece, a loyal and valued friend, and a professional psychologist whose caring nature and years of training allowed her to look after so many others during their time of need,” they said.</p> <p>“Frances gave fully and freely of herself, a beautiful soul inside and out.</p> <p>“She was a truly special person whose passing is a tragedy and the ripples of which are only just beginning to be felt.”</p> <p><em>Images: Crawford Family/ 7NEWS</em></p>

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Police officer charged after allegedly punching 70-year-old woman

<p>A Victorian police officer has been stood down from duty after he allegedly punched a 70-year-old woman while in hospital. </p> <p>Sylvia Villani was being treated at the Northern Hospital in April when the alleged assault took place, and she said it came out of nowhere. </p> <p>"I threw a bit of bread on the ground. I had my leg in a plaster," Villani told <em>9News</em>.</p> <p>"I was in a wheelchair and he punched me," she claimed.</p> <p>After the alleged attack, she sustained a broken eye socket. </p> <p>"I can't walk, I can't sit, I'm buggered," she said.</p> <p>"I don't know why he did it.</p> <p>"I did call him some nasty names, I wasn't happy, (but) I didn't deserve it."</p> <p>Villani's son, Rick, told 9News that he was only alerted about the incident after receiving a call from doctors who told him that three police officers went to the hospital for a separate incident before his mother was allegedly assaulted. </p> <p>He claimed that his family has been left in the dark. </p> <p>"I know my mum's got mental health, and she's not perfect," he said.</p> <p>"They've treated me, my wife and my mother with no respect."</p> <p>Victoria Police have stood down the 26-year-old male officer who was on duty when the incident occurred, after an internal investigation. </p> <p>The officer has been charged with one count of recklessly causing injury and will appear before court on September 9. </p> <p><em>Images: Nine</em></p>

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Police Commissioner opens up about his son's tragic death

<p>Police Commissioner Grant Stevens and his wife Emma have opened up on their heart-breaking loss, sharing how they are still grieving the loss of their son eight months after his <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/police-commissioner-s-son-killed-during-schoolies-week" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tragic passing</a>. </p> <p>Charlie Stevens was celebrating schoolies when he was killed in a hit-and-run accident, causing a brain injury that he wouldn't wake up from. </p> <p>He died a day after the accident on November 17th 2023 and was just 18 years old. </p> <p>Now, his distraught parents have spoken candidly about their last moments with their son. </p> <p>"It was good to spend time with him, but the hardest thing was leaving for the last time," Grant told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/60-minutes/charlie-stevens-south-australias-police-commissioner-opens-up-about-young-sons-tragic-death/c1ceaf2c-c2a4-492d-998e-1cc5e32ed29b" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>60 Minutes</em></a>.  </p> <p>Through tears, Emma shared her last words to her youngest born. </p> <p>"I just said, 'I love you. You're my baby, and you always will be'," she said.</p> <p>"You know, that's just ... it's devastating," Grant added. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9I8g22yZfs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </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;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9I8g22yZfs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 60 Minutes Australia (@60minutes9)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The commissioner and his wife shared that it was not difficult to forgive the young man who caused the death of their son, as the driver, Dhirren Randhawa, was only 18 years old as well. </p> <p>"I think being a parent, being a mum of an 18-year-old, they're not that smart. They're 18," Emma said. </p> <p>"And I look at it and I think it also could have been Charlie."</p> <p>Randhawa, who had no alcohol or drugs in his system at the time of the crash, was initially charged with causing death by dangerous driving, aggravated driving without due care, leaving the scene of a crash after death and failing to truly answer questions but, in reaching a plea deal, has admitted to a charge of aggravated driving without due care and leaving the scene of a crash.</p> <p>His admission of guilt to those two lesser charges has avoided the pain of going to trial, and instead faces court again next month for sentencing. </p> <p>Randhawa wrote a letter to the Stevens' apologising for his actions that caused the loss of their son, as Emma said, "And he’s written it, and that it’s words from an 18-year-old. I don’t think he’s been sat down and told what to write."</p> <p>“I think it’s him. In fact, I’m not so sure Charlie would be able to write something quite as good as that.”</p> <p>Grant added, "We're grateful that Dhirren has pleaded guilty. It gives us some understanding of his acceptance of his responsibility."</p> <p>"We appreciate it, we appreciate the fact that he's given us that apology."</p> <p>After Charlie's death, Grant and Emma asked mourners to channel their grief into donations for Operation Flinders, an outback adventure therapy program that has helped 10,000 at-risk teenagers.</p> <p>The response to Grant and Emma's request has been overwhelming, with close to $220,000 so far raised in Charlie's name. </p> <p>"He had an impact on so many, so many people but this is a way that he will continue to have a really positive impact on kids who will never even know about him," Grant proudly said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: 60 Minutes </em></p>

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Woman dies after police fail to respond to 000 call in time

<p>A delayed police response is under investigation after a woman in her 40s died when police officers took almost an hour to respond to a 000 call. </p> <p>Sarah Miles, a mother-of-three from Byron Bay, died after she was allegedly beaten by her boyfriend in her home on Saturday morning.</p> <p>A triple-0 call was made at 1:30am after neighbours reportedly heard screams coming from the house, but NSW Police didn’t acknowledge the call until 2:25am.</p> <p>By the time they arrived on the scene, they found Miles fighting for life in her final moments.</p> <p>She was unconscious but breathing, with “obvious injuries” to her head caused by a physical assault, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said.</p> <p>“Police assisted her and called for an ambulance immediately (which) arrived very shortly after, but unfortunately, her condition deteriorated, and she died at the scene,” McKenna said.</p> <p>“The delay in the timing of police acknowledging that call and attending the scene has given me enough concern that I’ve asked for an independent review of this investigation as to what that delay was and if it was justified."</p> <p>“We want to see what happened from the time that call was made, how the radio operator dispatched that call, the circumstances around the timings until it was acknowledged and until police attended.”</p> <p>The NSW Police Homicide Squad is working separately with local officers to investigate Miles’ death.</p> <p>McKenna said the force takes domestic violence very seriously and the issue is at the “top of our priority list”.</p> <p>“It is one of the most serious crimes there is, and we will do everything we can to take this as seriously as we can and make sure people are held to account and put before the courts,” he said.</p> <p>Miles's partner, Dwayne John Creighton, 31, was arrested at the scene and taken to Lismore Police Station, where he was charged with one count of murder.</p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News</em></p>

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Alleged killer cop files lawsuit against NSW Police

<p>The former police officer accused of murder has now filed a lawsuit against the NSW Police for bullying and harassment. </p> <p>Former NSW Police senior constable Beau Lamarre-Condon is accused of shooting Jesse Baird, 26, and his partner Luke Davies, 29, at Baird’s Paddington house in February and disposing of the bodies on a rural property near Goulburn.</p> <p>While still awaiting trial over the alleged murders, the suit against the police force has been filed, with <em>Sunrise</em> newsreader Edwina Bartholomew sharing the updates. </p> <p>“The defence lawyer for accused killer cop Beau Lamarre-Condon says his client is continuing with a lawsuit against the NSW Police Force for bullying and harassment while he was a constable,” Bartholomew said.</p> <p>Lamarre-Condon's lawyer John Walford confirmed the move to <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a_TCA&amp;dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Ftruecrimeaustralia%2Fpolice-courts-nsw%2Fchilling-unseen-photos-of-beau-lamarrecondon-cosying-up-with-exlover-he-allegedly-killed%2Fnews-story%2F4fdbac4f0dac6d7ea38b3094e808e3ab&amp;memtype=anonymous&amp;mode=premium&amp;v21=LOW-Segment-1-SCORE" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Daily Telegraph</em></a>, saying, “Yes, action against police is continuing … it’s huge.”</p> <p>The former officer has been in protective custody at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre at Silverwater in Sydney's west for the past four months and sources close to the 28-year-old say his mental state is deteriorating.</p> <p>"He's not doing real well at the moment," a source told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13471215/Beau-Lamarre-Condon-Chilling-pictures-accused-killer-Jesse-Baird-Luke-Davies.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Daily Mail Australia</em></a> in April. </p> <p>"Obviously it's set in now - what's happened and the allegations and where he is. I think the rot's set in mentally-wise. He's at a low point at the moment. He's very down. He's hit the lows."</p> <p>Lamarre-Condon is expected to front court again on June 18th. </p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News / Shutterstock </em></p>

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"Repeatedly ignored": Daughter of Perth gunman breaks her silence

<p>The daughter of the Perth man who has been accused of murdering a 59-year-old woman and her 18-year-old daughter has broken her silence. </p> <p>Mark Bombara <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/the-most-gorgeous-family-tributes-flow-for-slain-mother-and-daughter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot and killed</a> Jennifer Petelczyc and her youngest daughter Gretl at their home in Floreat, Western Australia, on Friday afternoon while searching for his ex-wife before taking his own life.</p> <p>Now, his daughter Ariel has released a powerful statement sharing how she repeatedly warned police of the danger he posed as a licensed firearms holder, admitting that her and her mother had feared for their lives. </p> <p>"We were ignored by five different male officers across three occasions of reporting," Ms Bombara said. "By that point we felt completely helpless and I had to focus on getting mum to safety."</p> <p>"I did everything I could to protect my mother, and when my father couldn't find us he murdered her best friend and her best friend's daughter."</p> <p>Ms Bombara explained that her and her mother fled their family home on March 28th, "in fear of our lives and to remove ourselves from an abusive situation", and over the span of four days, contacted police three times to notify them about her father's gun collection. </p> <p>"I felt there was a real and imminent threat to our lives," she said.</p> <p>"I specifically mentioned that there was a Glock handgun which was unaccounted for," Ms Bombara said.</p> <p>"My understanding is this ultimately would be one of the weapons my father used take the lives of two innocent women."</p> <p>She was adamant that the deaths of Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc were "an act of domestic violence".</p> <p>"My mother and I made clear that lives were at risk, and we were repeatedly ignored. Repeatedly failed. Those failures have cost the lives of two incredible women."</p> <p>"My father should always be considered accountable for his actions. They were his and his alone, however, there are authorities who should have helped us stop him, and they failed."</p> <p>"I want answers."</p> <p>Following the deaths of Ms Petelczyc and her daughter, WA Police did not classify them as domestic violence-related.</p> <p>A police spokesperson said in a statement, "Police have always accepted that the motivation for these crimes were family and domestic violence (FDV) related, however the crimes committed were murder, and ultimately the contributing factors will be a matter for the coroner to consider." </p> <p><em>Image credits: ABC News / 9News</em></p>

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Hundreds arrested in domestic violence crackdown

<p>More than 550 people in NSW have been arrested in a state-wide crackdown on domestic and family violence. </p> <p>Operation Amarok VI ran from last Wednesday to Saturday, and in that time police arrested 554 people and made a total of 1070 charges. </p> <p>Of those arrests, 226 were wanted by police for alleged serious domestic violence offences, according to a NSW police spokesman. </p> <p>"Anyone who commits this heinous crime can expect a knock at their door," Police Minister Yasmin Catley said.</p> <p>"Operation Amarok is just one part of the police response. Last year, almost 150,000 calls for assistance were made to the NSWPF for domestic violence-related matters.</p> <p>"This shows the severity of the situation, the huge amount of police time and resources that go into addressing this epidemic and how important it is for prevention, early intervention and crisis support services to work together."</p> <p>Some of most significant arrests include a a 53-year-old man who allegedly threatened a woman with an imitation gun in Kempsey. </p> <p>Officers searched the home and seized the weapon and some cannabis. </p> <p>A 23-year-old woman was also arrested in the state's west after allegedly stabbing a relative around 2:30 am on May 17. </p> <p>The older relative received multiple stab wounds to the abdomen, head, and back and was taken to a local hospital where police were called.</p> <p>She was later flown to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a critical condition.</p> <p>The 23-year-old was charged with wound person intend cause grievous bodily harm and was refused bail to appear in Dubbo Local Court on May 18.</p> <p>NSW Police Executive Sponsor for Domestic and Family Violence, Deputy Commissioner Peter Thurtell said that the operation allowed police to conduct a targeted blitz of those who have been flagged as the worst domestic violence offenders. </p> <p>“We demonstrated last week that we will target and arrest the offenders no matter where they are located. We saw significant arrest numbers in our regional communities, and we also saw arrests for offences that occurred allegedly while the offender was in jail," he said. </p> <p>"These Amarok VI results send a powerful message to offenders, and the community at large, that we do not tolerate domestic and family violence in any form, and our efforts will continue."</p> <p><em>Images: NSW Police</em></p>

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Police fatally shoot armed 16-year-old after Bunnings carpark stabbing

<p>A 16-year-old boy has been shot dead by police after he stabbed a man in the carpark of a Bunnings Warehouse on Saturday night. </p> <p>WA Police were called to the hardware store in south Perth, which was closed at the time of the incident, after they received a call from the teen saying he was going to commit acts of violence. </p> <p>A second emergency call was then made a short time later after the teenager stabbed a man in the carpark, in what appears to be a random attack. </p> <p>Police Commissioner Col Blanch said when they arrived on the scene, they found a 16-year-old armed with a large kitchen knife.</p> <p>Commissioner Blanch said the boy lunged at officers with the knife and was shot, and died a short time later in hospital.</p> <p>The man who was stabbed, who is in his 30s, is recovering in hospital and is believed to be in a serious but stable condition.</p> <p>The police commissioner and WA Premier Roger Cook held a press conference on Sunday morning and described the incident as "extremely confronting".</p> <p>They said the boy was "running around a car park, armed with a knife" when police arrived. </p> <p>"They [WA police] exited their vehicle and were confronted with a male alone with a large kitchen knife," Commissioner Blanch said.</p> <p>"Two officers drew their tasers and one of the officers drew his firearm. They challenged the male to put down the knife, which he did not."</p> <p>Mr Cook said there were indications the boy had been radicalised online, saying at the press conference, "I want to reassure the community at this stage it appears that he acted solely and alone."</p> <p>"Members of the WA Muslim community, who were concerned by his behaviour, contacted police prior to the incident and I thank them for their help."</p> <p>It was also said the boy's family was cooperating with police.</p> <p>Commissioner Blanch said the incident was not being labelled as a terrorist attack at this stage.</p> <p>"It certainly has the hallmarks of one [but] the reason why I would declare it as a terrorist act going forward — it's about timing," Commissioner Blanch said.</p> <p>"That's something that we can work towards as we find out more information from the motivations behind this."</p> <p><em>Image credits: ABC / Shutterstock</em></p>

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“Such a cowardly thing”: Police hunt after e-scooter hit-and-run on 81-year-old woman

<p>Victoria Police have released an image of a man wanted in connection to an alleged attack on at 81-year-old outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground after an AFL game last Friday. </p> <p>Jessie Hatch, 81, was walking towards Jolimont Railway Station around 11pm when she was confronted by a man on an e-scooter, who told her to “move off the footpath”.</p> <p>Hatch then "explained that the footpath is not for vehicles and walked around him”, prompting the man to ride off, but he quickly turned around before allegedly hitting her from behind, causing her to fall to the ground and lose consciousness.</p> <p>According to Victoria Police, the rider allegedly did not stop to assist Hatch, and was unsuccessfully chased by a passerby.</p> <p>He was last seen heading west from the Swan Street Bridge.</p> <p>“She walked between 7-10m away and this guy’s doubled back and then smashed her from behind,” Jessie's son Ken told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/mans-words-to-elderly-collingwood-fan-jessie-hatch-before-allegedly-hitting-her-with-e-scooter-in-mcg-hit-and-run-c-14571902" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>7News</em></a>.</p> <p>“Apparently she stopped breathing for 20 seconds or so, that’s what we heard.”</p> <p>Jessie is still in hospital recovering with five stitches in her hand and undergoing more tests on her spine to see if there is permanent damage.</p> <p>“Such a cowardly thing, I don’t know what would have gone into his head to do that,” Jessie told <em>7News</em> from her hospital bed.</p> <p>“Why would somebody do that? He should be ashamed of himself.”</p> <p>Police are investigating the incident, with Ken calling on the alleged perpetrator to come forward.</p> <p>“You made a mistake, you did something wrong, come forward,” he added.</p> <p>The man allegedly involved in the incident was of average height and had fair skin and a stocky build, with straight blonde/brown hair and grey/blue eyes.</p> <div> </div> <p>He was wearing thick-lensed glasses and a red jacket made of a shiny, waterproof material.</p> <p>Jessie’s story quickly gained attention around the AFL world, and Collingwood legend Peter Daicos was among those to offer his support.</p> <p>“I wanted to reach out, I heard about the incident after the game,” he said.</p> <p>“I hope you’re feeling better and I’m really looking forward to hearing that you’re back at the Collingwood games.</p> <p>“All the best from not just myself, but the boys and importantly the Collingwood Football Club. All our love, get well soon.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News</em></p> <div class="hide-print ad-no-notice css-qyun7f-StyledAdUnitWrapper ezkyf1c0" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: #292a33; color: #292a33; font-family: HeyWow, Montserrat, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> </div>

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Police accused of "straight up revenue raising" after controversial act

<p>New South Wales Police has been called out for the controversial way an officer hid to catch unsuspecting motorists during the double demerits public holiday over the Anzac Day weekend. </p> <p>Motoring journalist David McCowen accused the police of "straight up revenue raising" after capturing a video of an unmarked police car blocking a busy cycle path in a “hidden” spot on the Alfords Point Bridge in Sydney’s southwest on Sunday.</p> <p>“This is bulls**t,” McCowen said in the clip which has been viewed more than 500,000 times.</p> <p>“This is a highway patrol dude that is blocking a cycleway and running path here at Alfords Point Bridge between St George and Sutherland Shire, trying to book people hidden behind a concrete wall in an unmarked car on a double demerits weekend on a long downhill descent on a bridge."</p> <p>“That’s just crap. That is not serving the community. That is straight up revenue raising and I’m not about it. You can’t see him.”</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: currentcolor !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: currentcolor !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7362726836784205074&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40davemotoring%2Fvideo%2F7362726836784205074&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2Fac9931ef2d86483a85d43e726da22594_1714268444%3Fx-expires%3D1714532400%26x-signature%3DzVrZCNweB4EiqQwi%252BTl1M3l7ThE%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>He added that “what you can see though” was how dozens of people had marked the location of “this bloke that’s trying to rip you off” on the popular navigation app Waze.</p> <p>“That is a cool thing,” he said.</p> <p>The video quickly raked in hundreds of comments condemning the "hypocritical" police behaviour, with one person writing, “Isn’t that a parking violation?”</p> <p>Another woman said, “My husband got a $300 fine recently for ‘park on footpath/verge’. Old mate should issue himself the same fine.”</p> <p>“It’s why people have lost respect for police,” one person added.</p> <p>While most people were frustrated by the police officer's act, others sided with law enforcement, as one person said, “If you live in the area you already know not to speed there,” one said.</p> <p>“He’s hidden for a reason, the amount of people that slow down then speed up again. It's not safe."</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

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Police release new images in search for church rioters

<p>The images of 12 men who were allegedly involved in the violent riot outside The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley have been released by NSW Police. </p> <p>Three men have been charged over their alleged involvement in the riot last Monday, shortly after bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed during a service that was being live-streamed. </p> <p>A 16-year-old boy has been <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/teenage-boy-in-custody-after-stabbing-at-sydney-church" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> over the stabbing incident, with police describing it as a "terror incident". </p> <p>Now, Strike Force Dribs have been established to investigate the violent incidents, and they have released the images of the men they would like to speak to. </p> <p>Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said that around 2,000 people were at the scene but up to 50 were there "to start problems". </p> <p>"We know that there's groups of families involved that have gone there to support their parishioners, and we're not looking for those people," he said.</p> <p>"We're looking to speak with them if they can provide us information about the people involved."</p> <p>In the immediate aftermath of the incident, dozens of police were injured, their cars vandalised, and some officers and paramedics were forced to take shelter inside the church. </p> <p>One police officer had their jaw broken, while another suffered facial and knee injuries. </p> <p>Superintendent Andrew Evans said that the images of the men have been released  "due to the violent and aggressive nature of their actions".</p> <p>"We are doing everything we can to identify these men and are now appealing for public assistance," he said in a statement.</p> <p>"Someone in the community knows who they are."</p> <p>One man — known as Person A — had his face covered but was filmed jumping on top of police cars. He has a large tattoo of Jesus Christ on his stomach, and others on his left arm. </p> <p>Another — known as Person C <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">—</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> was described as being of</span> Mediterranean or Middle Eastern appearance with short black hair and a beard. </p> <p>A full list of all the people police believed were involved in the riots were released on their <a href="https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGMTExNTU0Lmh0bWwmYWxsPTE%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, with descriptions of their features and the clothes they were wearing. </p> <p>Investigators are also collecting evidence including mobile phone and CCTV footage to identify those involved.</p> <p>Over the weekend, Issa Haddad, 28, was charged and granted bail for over the public disorder incident. </p> <p>Two others, Dani Mansour, 19, and Sam Haddad, 45, have also been charged and granted bail. </p> <p><em>Images: NSW Police/ SBS News</em></p>

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"I haven’t seen someone that terrified": CCTV of brave schoolgirl after attempted abduction

<p>A chilling incident has shaken the quiet streets of Doncaster East in Melbourne's east, reminding us of the importance of vigilance and community support in ensuring the safety of our children.</p> <p>Depicted clearly in heart-wrenching <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/cctv-emerges-of-schoolgirl-who-hid-in-bushes-during-attempted-abduction-in-doncaster-east-melbourne-c-14243163" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CCTV footage</a> that surfaced recently, an 11-year-old girl's brave escape from a potential abduction has sent shockwaves through the neighbourhood.</p> <p>On March 28, the young girl was making her way home from school along Landscape Drive when a grey Audi Q3 SUV made an abrupt U-turn, pulling up dangerously close to her. The driver, a male stranger, allegedly demanded her to enter the vehicle.</p> <p>But the brave young girl, instead of complying with the stranger's demands, made a split-second decision that possibly saved her life; she sprinted away, seeking refuge in nearby bushes as the car ominously circled back.</p> <p>The harrowing moments that followed were captured on CCTV as the girl, trembling with fear, looked back at the street, her only lifeline a stranger passing by. It was a local dad, accompanied by his own daughter, who extended a helping hand to the distressed child. Recalling the encounter, he described the girl's sheer terror:</p> <p>“She was shivering and shaking and I haven’t seen someone that terrified and petrified like that,” he told 7NEWS. And when the young girl kept apologising to him over and over for asking him to escort her home, he responded: “I said: ‘I’m so proud of you, getting help is a really good skill’.” </p> <p>Meanwhile, the girl's parents, undoubtedly consumed by anguish, expressed their profound gratitude to the stranger who intervened in their daughter's moment of peril. Their daughter, though physically unharmed, had endured a trauma no child should ever have to face.</p> <p>As authorities launched a manhunt for the assailant, details of the suspect emerged. Described as a man in his 30s, of Middle Eastern descent with distinctive features including tan skin, black hair and a prominent beard, the perpetrator remains at large. A computer-generated image has been released by Victoria Police in hopes of eliciting information from the public.</p> <p>In the aftermath of this chilling incident, Detective Senior Constable Brooke Miller echoed the sentiments of the community: “It’s horrible," he said. "A little girl should feel safe to walk home from school.”</p> <p><em>Images: Victoria Police</em></p>

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"It's a dummy spit": Ben Fordham slams Police Commissioner

<p>Ben Fordham has slammed the NSW Police Commissioner for pulling the pin on a radio interview at the last minute, with the radio host claiming she was requesting "favourable coverage". </p> <p>Karen Webb was set to appear on the 2GB radio show on Monday morning, after facing several months of public scrutiny due to a series of blunders. </p> <p>“But the commissioner is not coming on our show this morning, (she) called me on Friday to explain this,” Fordham said to his loyal listeners. </p> <p>He said she was not happy about a “cheeky” question he asked Premier Chris Minns earlier in the day, asking whether he had received her “letter of resignation”.</p> <p>“It’s a dummy spit and it’s another example of the commissioner taking things personally instead of looking for the lesson,” he said.</p> <p>Fordham went on to claim that Commissioner Webb had approached media executives to ask for "favourable coverage" before agreeing to be interviewed. </p> <p>“The NSW Police Commissioner has approached media bosses at Nine Radio and NewsCorp. I know this because one of the conversations was about me,” Fordham said.</p> <p>Fordham referred to the death of 95-year-old Clare Nowland, who was allegedly tasered by Senior Constable Kristian White at a Cooma aged care home in May 2023. </p> <p>“When I was asking questions about the lack of transparency over the Taser incident, the commissioner complained to my boss,” Fordham said. </p> <p>“It was clear to me what was going on, Karen Webb wanted me to ease up a bit.”</p> <p>He added, “Morale in the police force is tanking, and the commissioner has gone into hiding.” </p> <p>Pressure on the commissioner has increased since serving police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon was charged with the double murder of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in February. </p> <p>Police allege he used a service weapon to kill the couple, prompting concerns over the force’s weapon handling protocols and leadership. </p> <p>Ms Webb was noticeably silent in the days that followed Mr Lamarre-Condon being charged, and when she did finally face the cameras, she was slammed for a series of embarrassing blunders, including referring to the alleged murder as a “crime of passion” and quoting Taylor Swift lyrics when asked if she should resign.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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Police share wild seatbelt pic after fining driver for bizarre DIY fix

<p>A driver has copped a $387 fine over their bizarre seatbelt fix during a random stationary test at Richmond in Sydney's northwest. </p> <p>A photo shared by NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol showed the shocking state of the driver's seatbelt, which was tattered and held together by duct tape. </p> <p>The police department have warned other drivers to make sure their seatbelts are in good condition, otherwise they too might cop a fine and demerit points.</p> <p>"Seatbelts help to save lives, except for this one...."  they wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday. </p> <p>"Hawkesbury Highway Patrol were recently conducting random stationary testing on Londonderry Road at Richmond when they spoke with a driver about his seatbelt.</p> <p> "Not only was the seatbelt not being worn, an inspection of the seatbelt found it to be dangerously defective," they added. </p> <p>"He was issued a defect notice and infringement in the amount of $387 and three demerit points. Please ensure your seatbelts don't look like this."</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/03/SeatbeltNSWPolice.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>Many commenters were baffled as to how the vehicle passed the eSafety check, also known as a pink slip inspection, which is required for vehicles over five years old in NSW to be deemed roadworthy. </p> <p>"And who passed the Pink Slip? That’s where I’d be heading,"  one wrote. </p> <p>"I wonder who did the rego check on this vehicle," another added. </p> <p>"How does it even get to that stage," a third questioned, while others agreed that the seatbelt was no longer safe. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty / Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, NSW Police Force</em></p>

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