Police operation results in drug charges following 'Subsonic' music festival – Port Stephens Local Area Command

Police have laid charges relating to alleged drug supply, possession and dealing offences, during a local music festival in the Port Stephens Local Area Command on the weekend.

The festival, ‘Subsonic’, was held at a resort in the Monkerai Valley from Friday 4 December to Monday 7 December 2015, and hosted about 3200 people each day.

A police operation involving local police, the Dog Unit, and Traffic and Highway Patrol Commands, was implemented to help ensure the event was safe and secure.

On Saturday between 4.45pm and 7.15pm, a drug dog operation resulted in seven charges relating to possess prohibited drug, five supply prohibited drug charges, one deal in proceeds of crime charge, and four cannabis cautions.

Of note, about 5pm on Saturday, a 22-year-old man was stopped by a police dog and handler, on the grounds of the festival.

A search resulted in 15 MDMA capsules, LSD, liquid ecstasy, and cash allegedly found on the man.

He was arrested, and charged with three counts of supply prohibited drug, three counts of possess prohibited drug and one count of deal in proceeds of crime.

He was granted conditional bail, and will appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court on 14 January 2016.

About 4.50pm on the same day, a 24-year-old Victorian man was stopped by a police dog and handler.

A search of the man resulted in over seven grams of MDMA, Cocaine, 45 LSD tablets, and cannabis allegedly located.

He was arrested, and charged with six counts of supply prohibited drug, and two counts of possess prohibited drug.

He was granted conditional bail, to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court on 14 January 2016.

Inspector Alan Janson, Port Stephens Local Area Command Duty Officer, said police would continue to undertake operations at festivals in the area.

“The police operation at Subsonic music festival was about minimising harm and providing a safe and secure environment for music lovers to have a good time,” Inspector Janson said.

“It was disappointing that some revellers continue to break the law, and take, supply and possess illicit drugs.

“Equally disturbing was the amount of drivers allegedly detected with illicit substances in their system leaving the festival.

“On Sunday, of the first six vehicles stopped and tested by Traffic and Highway Patrol officers, five drivers were detected allegedly having illicit drugs in their system.

“While the results have been sent for further testing, those caught drug or drink driving will have to face the consequences,” he said.

Man charged after 'ICE' seized following vehicle search – Warners Bay

Police have charged a man after over ICE seized following a car search in Warners Bay.

About 12.20pm (Monday 7 December 2015), officers from Lake Macquarie Special Operations Group were patrolling Campbell Street, and stopped a black Holden Commodore.

Police spoke to the driver, searched the Holden, and allegedly locating over 15g of methyl amphetamine (ICE), cash, and drug paraphernalia.

The driver, a 47-year-old man from Warners Bay, was arrested and taken to Belmont Police Station.

He was charged with supply prohibited drug and deal with property suspected proceeds of crime.

The man was given conditional bail to appear at Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 6 January 2016.

'Everywhere' men and lamb burger bring music and flavour back to the Hume

Every time entrepreneur Frank Burke is on radio talking about resurrecting the Old Hume Highway the station plays Route 66, an anthem to North America’s famous highway.

But Mr Burke wants Australian music to promote the original route from Sydney to Port Phillip Bay in Victoria for fatigued drivers and tourists.

So he approached Geoff Mack who wrote “I’ve Been Everywhere”, a hit song released in 1962, to tweak the original with the chorus: “We are going everywhere on the Old Hume Highway.” The original singer, Lucky Starr, has re-recorded the classic track, managing to fit in the 86 towns along Australia’s most famous highway without missing a beat.

“We’re Going Everywhere” aims to raise awareness of communities bypassed by the new highway, such as Gunning, where Peta Luck and her daughter Laura Murphy bought the Old Hume Highway cafe in 2014.

The Luck family is descended from early European settlers in Gunning. Mrs Luck left the public service to re-connect with her community through the cafe, and says 50 per cent of trade comes from locals, the other 50 per cent are travellers from all over Australia.

“They turn off because they are sick of the service centres that just have McDonalds or KFC; they have heard we have great coffee in Gunning,” she said. “They get lamb burger with salad, lamb, Greek yoghurt, mint jelly and Spanish onion.”

Lots of grey nomads, car, motorbike and cycling clubs and commercial travellers wander in under pressed-metal ceilings looking for something other than pre-packaged fast food,.

“We do have a fair number of people who specify they want real Australian food. We employ 10 in this cafe, some are casuals who only get a couple of shifts a week, the little 14 and 15 year-olds. We get a lot of travellers who value that and want to be part of that,” Mrs Luck said.

A cafe since the Gunning bypass, the shop was a haberdashery and general store. The 1995 highway bypass emptied Gunning of much of its commerce, coinciding with a dark chapter for the village before a farmer’s wife, Melinda Medway, opened the Merino Cafe and later the Old Hume Cafe, resurrected the village’s famous lamb burger, and lured traffic off the new dual highway.

“After the trucks left, the town slowed down, the drought was terrible, we had [incurable sheep-wasting] Ovine Johne’s disease, some farmers were suicidal. On our property we buried 300 sheep,” Mrs Medway said.

A New Zealand company’s failed attempt to open a new service centre near the town was the last straw. “We thought we’d make the whole town a service centre to create employment,” Mrs Medway said.

Police investigate after pursuit and police car rammed – Mayfield

Police are appealing for information after a pursuit resulted in a police car rammed in Mayfield yesterday.

About 11.25pm on Sunday (6 December 2015), officers attached to Newcastle City Local Area Command were patrolling along Crebert Street when they attempted to stop a Ford sedan.

The male driver failed to stop, and a pursuit commenced to Silsoe Street, which is a dead-end street.

Officers approached the male driver, who reversed and rammed the front of the police car, before fleeing the scene.

The marked police car was severely damaged, and unable to be driven from the scene.

Police are investigating the incident and are appealing for the male driver to come forward and contact Newcastle City Police.

The Ford involved in the incident is described as being a white Falcon, with registration BL86WU, and is believed to be a 1999 model.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the Ford sedan or the driver, is urged to come forward.

The police officers suffered minor injuries during the incident.

Police release images of two men wanted on warrants for armed robbery – Tamworth

 

Police from Oxley Local Area Command have released images and are appealing for information about two men wanted by virtue of outstanding warrants for an armed robbery in Tamworth this week.

Andrew Sampson, 35, and Michael Booby, 20, each have an outstanding warrant for their arrest.

The warrants relate to an armed robbery of a man on Woodward Avenue, Tamworth, about 2.30pm on Wednesday 2 December 2015.

Andrew Sampson is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, 180cm to 185cm tall, 80kg to 85kg with medium build, and dark greying hair.

Michael Booby is described as being Caucasian in appearance, 175cm to 180cm tall, 75kg to 80kg with a thin build, short brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about either of the men’s whereabouts, is urged not to approach them, but contact Triple Zero (000) immediately.

Man charged with indecent and sexual assault of girl in Wagga Wagga – SCC CAS

A man is due to face court today after being charged with the sexual and indecent assault of a child.

Last month, police were made aware of a man who had allegedly indecently and sexually assaulted a girl on a number of occasions over the course of a four year period. At the time of the offences, the girl was aged between 11 and 15.

Detectives from the Child Abuse Squad’s Wagga Wagga office conducted an investigation into the matter and yesterday (Thursday 3 December 2015), they arrested a 27-year-old Mount Austin man.

He was taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station and charged with:

– Five counts of indecent assault of a person under 16 years of age; and;

– Three counts of sexual intercourse with a child.

The man was refused bail and is scheduled to appear before Wagga Wagga Local Court today (Friday 4 December 2015).

The Child Abuse Squad is comprised of detectives who are specially trained to investigate crimes against children, including sexual assault, physical abuse and serious 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/. Reports can also be made to the Child Protection Helpline on 132 111.

Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. People should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Man charged after search warrant executed – Toronto

A man will face court tomorrow on firearms, drug and property charges after he was charged at Toronto today.

About 12pm (Wednesday 2 December 2015), officers from Police Transport Command North Central Sector attended a home on Bambara Street, Toronto, near Newcastle.

Police executed a search warrant at the premises and allegedly located methamphetamine, two replica pistols, an air rifle and ammunition.

A 32-year-old man was arrested and charged with 10 offences including armed with intent to commit indictable offence, possess unauthorised firearm, possess unauthorised pistol (x2), supply prohibited drug > indictable quantity (not cannabis) and possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority.

The man was refused bail to appear at Toronto local court tomorrow (Thursday 3 December 2015).

Man charged with alleged firearm possession – Lake Macquarie

A man has been charged following investigations into firearm and domestic violence offences in Boolaroo yesterday (Monday 30 November 2015).

Police attended a home on Fourth Street following complaints of domestic violence and possible firearm offences.

Officers spoke with a female occupant of the home before conducting a search.

Police will allege they located two .22 calibre rifles, a small amount of ammunition and an improvised explosive device.

Police Rescue operatives were contacted and attended the home to render the device safe.

A 36-year-old man was arrested at the premises and taken to Toronto Police Station where he was charged with intimidation (x2) and firearm offences.

He was refused bail and will appear in Newcastle Local Court today (1 December 2015).

Man suffers serious injuries after fall – Albury

A man has suffered critical head injuries after falling from a staircase at a hotel in Albury overnight.

About 12.50am (Tuesday 1 December 2015) emergency services were called to a hotel on Dean Street where they found a 45-year-old man at the bottom of a stairwell suffering serious head injuries.

He was taken to Albury Base Hospital where he remains in a critical and unstable condition.

A crime scene was established and police from Albury are conducting a full investigation.

Early investigations suggest he may have fallen from the top of the staircase to the concrete floor below.

man charged after firearm located – Hamilton South

A man has been charged with firearm and drug offences after being searched in Newcastle.

About 5.10pm yesterday (Sunday 29 November 2015), police from Newcastle City Local Area Command attended an address on Beaumont Street, Hamilton South, after reports of a suspicious male.

Police located a 25-year-old man asleep on the porch of the home. Police spoke to the man and developed a suspicion to search him.

On searching the man and a bag in his possession, police allegedly located a revolver firearm, six bullets, drug paraphernalia including a set of digital scales, as well as 11.97 grams of a white crystalline substance believed to be an illicit drug, and numerous prescribed substances.

The man was taken to Newcastle Police Station where he was charged with possess unauthorised pistol, possess ammunition without holding a licence, possess prescribed restricted substance, supply prohibited drug, and enter enclosed lands.

He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Monday 30 November 2015).