Police On The Hunt For Road Rage Driver

BY JARROD MELMETH

Police are appealing for dashcam footage following a road rage incident in Kotara South. 

Its alleged an incident occurred between a white Skoda sedan and a white Volkswagen hatch on Myall Road about 9:30am on Wednesday 26 May. 

Following the incident the two cars came to a stop on Charlestown Road when the 59-year-old male driver of the sedan approached the hatch.

Police have been told the driver of the hatch then reversed hitting the driver, knocking him to the ground.

The hatch then drove away from the scene at speed southbound along Charlestown Road.

The injured man was assisted by bystanders and assessed by NSW Ambulance before being taken to the John Hunter Hospital where he was treated for fractured ribs and bruising.

Anyone with dashcam footage from either Myall Road or Charlestown Road between 9:15 and 9:45am or may have witness the incident is being urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

Photo: Jarrod Melmeth

Fire Crews Called to Kotara House Fire

BY MADELAINE MCNEILL

Fire crews are mopping up following a housefire at Kotara this morning.

Fire and Rescue crews from Charlestown and Lambton were called to the blaze on Rae Crescent shortly after 11 o'clock on Tuesday morning.

Residents reported seeing flames coming from a second storey window.

It took crews a little over two hours to extinguish the blaze.

Sections of the ceiling had to be removed to ventilate the house.

Nobody was injured and all occupants of the home have been accounted for.

Former Anglican Priest Charged over Alleged Sexual Assault of 15yo

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A former senior Anglican priest has been charged with the alleged sexual assault of a then 15-year-old boy in 1991.

Following a referral from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse to Newcastle Police on the matter in 2016, Strike Force Arinya was formed to investigate the allegations.

Investigations led strike force officers to a Kotara home where they arrested a 75-year-old man just before 8:30am.

He was taken to Waratah Police Station and charged with four counts of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault.

He was granted conditional bail and fronts Newcastle Local Court on December 7.

Woman Charged Over Alleged Involvement in Cannabis Grow House

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A 44-year-old woman will face Newcastle Local Court today for her alleged involvement in a cannabis grow house.

She was arrested yesterday afternoon at a business in Kotara in relation to the investigation.

The woman was refused bail and charged with knowingly direct activities of a criminal group.

As well as the woman's arrest, police executed a search warrant at a Hunter Street address yesterday where a number of items were seized for forensic examination.

It comes after police uncovered an elaborate hydroponic set-up and a large number of cannabis plants at a commercial premises on Steel Street, Newcastle West on Tuesday.

Investigations are continuing.

Cannabis Plants uncovered on Tuesday Image NSW Police Force

Cannabis uncovered on Tuesday
Image NSW Police Force

Sophisticated drug house uncovered at Kotara

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A tip off from a member of the public led police to an elaborate drug house in Kotara this morning.

At about 8:30am police executed a search warrant for the house on Marshall Street and uncovered the sophisticated hydroponic drug set-up, but no one was found to be home.

More than 150 cannabis plants were found in various stages of growth and Detective Inspector Peter Mahon says the house was completely transformed.

"Each room in the premises, about five of, were in various stages of growing cannabis plants. The bathroom was set up as a filtration/fertilising watering system for the whole house. Power had been diverted from the line coming into the  house and there was a sophisticated network of electricity cables, switches, and cables were also located."

As a result of the power being diverted, Energy Australia was brought in to disconnect the power to make it safe for officers to continue their search of the house

Police Rescue, forensic services, detectives from Newcastle and some linked to the target action group as well as external agencies were called in to remove the plants and dismantle the set-up.

"Investigations are ongoing. At this stage what we're basically doing is dismantling the premises and then go to the next level of identifying who is responsible for this offence," said Inspector Mahon.

Police aren't in a position to comment on just how much the plants would be worth, but they can be sure it would be quite the enterprise and some of the plants were mature enough to be close to being harvested.

"If anyone is out there and wants to provide further information in relation to those responsible, by all means, contact us here at Newcastle Police or call Crime Stoppers."

Crime Stoppers can be reached on 1800 333 000.

Police dismantling a hydroponic set up at Kotara. 150 cannabis plants found following a tip off from the public. @nbnnews pic.twitter.com/QTvLUnKid1

— Meredith Gibbs (@meredith_gibbs) September 6, 2017