Police Investigate Drive-By Shooting At Gillieston Heights

BY IAN CROUCH

Central Hunter Police are investigating a drive-by shooting at Gillieston Heights.

Police say several shots were fired into a home and garage on Paradise Street just before 12.30am on Friday.

A female occupant of the house wasn't injured.

Police have been told that after the shots were fired a vehicle was seen to drive from the area.

It's believed that the shooting was targeted.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police Track Down Driver who was Caught on Camera Driving Dangerously

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Police say they've arrested the driver who was seen driving erratically at Gillieston Heights over the weekend.

Just after 11:35 yesterday morning, a member of the public filmed a Nissan Skyline GTR allegedly driving dangerously on Cessnock Road. The car is seen driving onto the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic.

The footage was posted online and quickly went viral.

Police became aware of the footage and commenced inquiries. They located the car on Maitland Road at Cessnock at about 12:40pm.

The 39-year-old driver was arrested and taken to Cessnock Hospital to undergo blood and urine testing.

He was taken to Cessnock Police Station where he was charged with drive manner dangerous; negligent driving; overtake to left of vehicle; and not keep left of dividing line.

The man was given bail to appear at Kurri Kurri Local Court on January 11, 2018.

Vandalism strikes yet again in Maitland

BY JESSICA ROUSE and IAN CROUCH

There's been another senseless act of vandalism in Maitland.

This time the new garden at the recently upgraded No. 1 Sportsground was targeted, with plants ripped out of the ground and thrown across the carpark on Saturday morning.

It comes only weeks after a new park at Gillieston Heights which has been dedicated to a local WWI hero, was trashed.

Maitland Council offers a reward for any information that leads to the conviction against those who vandalise property.

Image Cr Philip Penfold Facebook page

Another memorial vandalised in a senseless act

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Not even a week after it was officially named after a Victoria Cross recipient, a Gillieston Heights park has been trashed by vandals over the weekend.

Joseph Maxwell VC Park was named in a special ceremony last Wednesday and has since had mud smeared across memorial plaques, turf ripped up and a commemorative Lone Pine tree also ripped from the ground.

Nearby residents found the destruction on Sunday afternoon and cleaned up the damage, thankfully replanting the Lone Pine tree.

Mayor of Maitland Peter Blackmore has labelled the incident as a straight out defiant act by someone/s in the community who obviously have nothing better to do than go around and vandalise a park.

Image supplied to The Maitland Mercury

"It is very very distressing that these things can happen when so many people put so much effort into beautifying their local suburb by having a park where they can sit down there with young children and babies, etc. and just a meeting place for residents to come and sit and talk."

The Mayor is urging anyone with information about the senseless destruction to come forward.

"Somebody must know something and so there would be a reward offering for the conviction of somebody who has caused this damage. It's a shame and like so many people would say you'd like to have caught them in the act."

The vandalism comes out after a World War I cenotaph was also vandalised in Clarencetown at the end of last week.

Investigations continue into poultry farm fire

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

Investigations are continuing into the cause of a fire which ripped through a Gillieston Heights poultry farm on Saturday night.

The fire killed up to 16,000 chickens when a large shed was engulfed in flames.

Firefighters were unable to save the chickens.

The RSPCA and the Department of Primary Industries have been notified.

A lucky escape for a man on Cessnock Road overnight

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man has made a lucky escape overnight at Gillieston Heights after a truck collided with the rear of his car.

Just after midnight, the car was attempting to make a left hand turn on Cessnock Road, when the truck came up behind hitting the rear of the car.

The driver of the car was taken to John Hunter Hospital for suspected neck injuries.

Neither man were seriously injured.

Charges laid over raids across the Hunter

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The mystery police presence in the Hunter was solved late yesterday with police charging five associates of the Nomads and Finks bikie gangs, after raids across the Hunter before 9am.

Five search warrents were carried out yesterday at properties in Gillieston Heights, Raymond Terrace, Rutherford and two homes in Telarah, which lead to the arrests of five associates of the bikie gangs.

A 23-year old Raymond Terrace man has been charged with 61 offenses including multiple offenses of firearm trafficking and drug offenses. He refused bail to appear in Maitland Local Court today.

A 26-year old Gillieston Heights man was also arrested and charged with 28 offenses to appear in Raymond Terrace Local Court today. A 27-year old Rutherford man has been charged with three offenses including two drug charges and knowingly participating in a criminal group. He was granted conditional bail to appear in Maitland Local Court in December.

Two women were also arrested and charged - a 31 and 32 year old both from Telarah, who will appear in Raymond Terrace and Maitland Local Courts, respectively, today.

The properties were searched and police seized two firearms including a loaded sawn-off shot gun found at the Gillieston Heights property, more than $150, 000 cash, ammunition and electronic stun devices as well as cannabis, methylamphetamine ('ice'), steroids and MDMA. All of which will undergo forensic examination.

The State Crime Command's Gangs Squad Strike Force Wilwendam was established earlier this year to investigate organised crime activity in the Hunter in conjunction with Port Stephens, Central Hunter and Newcastle City Local Area Commands.

Gillieston Heights Teenager Wins Gold At Paralympics

BY IAN CROUCH

Gilleston Heights swimmer, Maddison Elliott has claimed Australia's 5th gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Rio, winning the S8 100 metre freestyle in a Paralympic record time of 1:04.73.

She won bronze in the same event as a 13-year-old at the London Paralympics in 2012,

Maddison became the youngest Australian to win a Paralympic medal when she took bronze in the S8 400 metre freestyle in London. She also won gold in the 4X100 women's relay and silver in the S8 50 metre freestyle, bagging 4 medals from the London Paralympics.

After her win this morning, 17-year-old Maddi told the Seven Network she's dedicating her gold to friend and fellow Hunter swimmer, Jade Frith, who tragically passed away a few months ago.

"I really want to dedicate this to my friend, Jade. She's been my best friend for so long and since I lost her a couple of months ago, I'm going to dedicate this medal to you. I love you and I miss you," she said.

Maddison Elliott