Woman Jailed For Breaching Bail, Allegedly Drunk at School Pick Up in Port Stephens

BY ISABEL EVERETT

A woman suspected of being drunk while trying to collect a child from a Port Stephens school has been jailed after it was found she was on bail for other matters.

About 3.20pm on Wednesday 10th June,  school staff noticed the 60-year-old attempting to park out the front on the grounds, striking small bushes and trees.

She exited the vehicle and went to pick up the girl from school grounds, with staff attempting to stop her.

The woman allegedly became abusive and police were called, who attempted to submit her to a breath test.

She refused and reportedly became aggressive attempting to kick a Senior Constable.

It's also alleged she refused a second breath test at Nelson Bay Station.

The woman has pleaded guilty to a number of offences, with court documents indicating she was on bail for a number of other matters, with her bail now revoked.

Nelson Bay Man Charged With Breaching Public Health Order, Drug Possession

BY ISABEL EVERETT

A Nelson Bay man has been charged with breaching a Public Health Order, and drug possession, after attempting to cross the NSW and Victorian Boarder on Monday.

Officers were conducting permit checks at a checkpoint on the Hume Highway, Albury, when they stopped a vehicle about 9.30pm on Monday 3 August and spoke with the 49-year old driver.

The Nelson Bay man told police he travelled into Victoria on Saturday 1 August,  and did not have a current permit to re-enter NSW.

Police conducted various inquiries which revealed that the man had previously re-entered NSW on 19 July with his permit directing he self-isolate at his Nelson Bay home.

Further, it was established that he had breached the direction to self-isolate on 23 July, when local police conducted a compliance check and were unable to locate him.

It’s alleged that the man became aggressive and argumentative and, after he was advised he was being arrested, he resisted police and refused to comply with reasonable directions.

After being arrested, the man was taken to Albury Police Station, where he was observed throwing an item into a rubbish bin, which is alleged to be a satchel of cannabis.

He was subsequently charged with two counts of resist officer in execution of duty, not comply with noticed direction re s 7/8/9-COVID-19 and possess prohibited drug. He’s been refused bail to appear at Albury Local Court on Tuesday the 4th of August.

Pair Charged Over Teen Sex Assault at Nelson Bay

BY MADELAINE MCNEILL

Police have charged two men over the alleged sexual touching of a teenager at Nelson Bay.

Investigations began in May in response to reports a 14-year-old girl had been sexually touched by two men she did not know.

On Monday afternoon, Port Stephens Hunter Police officers arrested a 36-year-old Salt Ash man.

It follows the arrest of a 31-year-old man at Port Macquarie last month.

Both men have been charged with three counts of intentionally sexually touching a child between the ages of 10 and 16.

It's alleged the pair sexually touched the teenager at a public toiler near Victoria Parade, Nelson Bay, in February this year.

The Salt Ash man was refused bail and is due to face Maitland Local Court on Tuesday.

The younger man faced court after his arrest and was granted strict conditional bail to reappear at Port Macquarie Local Court next month.

$8 Million for Health in Nelson Bay

BY MATT JOHNSTON

The state government has announced $100 million in funding to create new HealthOne facilities across the state, and refurbish existing facilities. Eight brand new HealthOne facilities were announced, including one in Nelson Bay.

Credit: Port Stephens Examiner

Eight million dollars is going towards building the facility at the site of Tomaree Community Hospital, says Duty MLC for Port Stephens Catherine Cusack. This will be Port Stephens' second facility after Raymond Terrace, and the fifth full service for the Hunter New England health area.

Ms Cusack says Nelson Bay was chosen because of the expanding population and its growing need for a diverse range of health services. "It was ideally located in terms of additional demand for service and we're very pleased as we constantly seek to expand the amount of health services available that Tomaree Community Hospital was one of those selected".

Funding for the project has already been approved, and preliminary work is underway to determine the exact structure of the new facility. Ms Cusack says quite a bit of design work and consultation is still required. As of yet, there is no timeline in place for the construction of the new services.

"This will bring together general practitioners with community health and other health professionals across multidisciplinary teams. So it's got a lot of homework that has to be done until the actual, physical construction begins. But certainly, that work is already underway."

"It's fantastic to upgrade health services again on the peninsula, having just announced the new X-ray facilities". Ms Cusack says the funding for the project will come in addition to the funding already allocated for the new X-ray machines.

Man flown to John Hunter after Falling off a Ladder in Nelson Bay

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Hunter's Westpac Rescue Helicopter has flown a 60-year-old man to the John Hunter Hospital after he fell from a ladder.

The man fell from a ladder on his property at Corlette in Nelson Bay and suffered head and shoulder injuries.

He's in a stable condition.

Parents Charged After Little Girls Left Home Alone At Nelson Bay

BY IAN CROUCH

Police have charged the parents of two young girls left home alone at Nelson Bay.

Officers were called to Government Road at about 1.45am on Sunday after a passerby found a 4-year-old girl walking along the road by herself.

She was able to point out where she lived and officers searched a unit, finding a 2 year-old girl asleep in a cot in the empty apartment.

Officers contacted the parents who returned to the unit and spoke with investigators.

It is alleged that during a search of the woman’s handbag, officers located cannabis and white powder believed to be methylamphetamine.

The girls, aged 4 and 2 were removed from their parents’ custody and a Family and Community Services notification was made.

Officers have now charged the parents with abandon/expose child under 7 cause danger serious injury, and possess prohibited drug.

They are expected to appear in Raymond Terrace Local Court on Monday 27 November 2017.

Inquiries continue.

Council Defends Closure of Cabbage Tree Road

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Port Stephens Council say the diversions they've put in place while Cabbage Tree Road in Williamtown is closed is the best option.

Diversions are being put in place while $1.35 million worth of essential maintenance is carried out by council on behalf of the Roads and Maritime Services to improve both the safety and longevity of the road.

Cabbage Tree Road will be completely closed from now until December, Monday to Saturday, between 7am and 5pm. Council say a full road closure with diversions rather than using a stop/go method of diverting traffic was the best option.

Capital Works Section Manager Phil Miles said when they've used the contraflow method of diverting traffic before it caused even more traffic problems.

"The first stage between Masonite Road and the current works was undertaken using contraflow which is the stop/slow traffic gets to go in both directions and the experience from that was nobody won, it was significant traffic delays for commuters and businesses going in both directions."

The detours will add up to half an hour of travel time for westbound motorists via either Richardson Road towards Raymond Terrace or Nelson Bay Road towards Newcastle.

"For those travelling from Nelson Bay all the way through to Sydney very minimal delays. For those coming from the Hunter to the airport and then heading home, again there's a relatively minimal detour. The local residents are clearly going to be the most affected as they always are with roadworks."

Woman knocked down by drunk driver in Nelson Bay

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

A woman remains in a serious but stable condition in the John Hunter Hospital after being knocked down by a drunk driver at Nelson Bay.

Police say the 25-year-old was walking along Magnus Street early yesterday morning when she was hit by a Mazda utility.

The vehicle then crossed the road and collided with the front of a house.

Police say the driver, a 43-year-old man, later returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.170.

He's due to face court next month after being charged with high range drink driving and causing bodily harm.

UPDATE: One of Australia's most wanted men arrested in the Hunter

BY JESSICA ROUSE and IAN CROUCH

After more than two years on the run, one of the Australia's most wanted men will face Raymond Terrace Local Court today.

Police say 42-year-old Darren Rispen disappeared after being granted bail in 2014 over his involvement in a drug syndicate.

He'd assumed a new identity in that time growing a Ned Kelly-style beard and was dating a woman who had no idea of his past life. He was taken by surprise when police arrested him in Nelson Bay yesterday.


EARLIER

One of Australia's most wanted men has been arrested in Nelson Bay this morning.

The 42-year-old was arrested by police from the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad at about 11:30am.

He was placed on Crime Stoppers most wanted list in 2016 after he was granted bail in 2014 charged with alleged drug-related offences and allegedly directing a criminal group, but failed to comply with the bail conditions. A warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest.

Following extensive inquiries since 2014, he was arrested this morning and taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station where he's expected to be charged with the arrest warrant and will most likely appear at court later today.

The man is one of 19 people on Crime Stoppers most wanted list throughout Australia which was compiled in 2016.

In response, the NSW Police Force teamed up with Crime Stoppers Australia for Operation Roam, a nationwide campaign that promotes the exchange of information, regarding wanted people, between policing jurisdictions across the country.

One of Australia's most wanted arrested in the Hunter

BY JESSICA ROUSE

One of Australia's most wanted men has been arrested in Nelson Bay this morning.

The 42-year-old was arrested by police from the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad at about 11:30am.

He was placed on Crime Stoppers most wanted list in 2016 after he was granted bail in 2014 charged with alleged drug-related offences and allegedly directing a criminal group, but failed to comply with the bail conditions. A warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest.

Following extensive inquiries since 2014, he was arrested this morning and taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station where he's expected to be charged with the arrest warrant and will most likely appear at court later today.

The man is one of 19 people on Crime Stoppers most wanted list throughout Australia which was compiled in 2016.

In response, the NSW Police Force teamed up with Crime Stoppers Australia for Operation Roam, a nationwide campaign that promotes the exchange of information, regarding wanted people, between policing jurisdictions across the country.

Court for a man found with a pistol

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A 22-year-old man is due to face court next month after police allegedly found an unregistered pistol in his car at Shoal Bay over the weekend.

Just after 2:30am on Saturday morning, officers were patrolling Shoal Bay Road when they stopped Mazda station wagon for a random breath test.

The driver returned a negative result, however, officers say they found an air pistol when they searched him.

He was taken to Nelson Bay Police Station and charged with possession of an unregistered pistol.

He's been granted conditional bail, to face Raymond Terrace Court on July 10.

Port Stephens Council Approve Apartment Tower Twice the Height Limit

BY SARAH JAMES

Port Stephens Council have pushed ahead with the development of a 32 metre apartment tower at Church Street Nelson Bay, which is twice the current height limit.

Community residents are arguing the development will ruin the character of the area and make it difficult to enforce a sensible height limit in the future.

The controversial decision follows concerns from the Urban Design Consultative Group (UDCG), attached to Newcastle City Council, who said amendments would be needed in order to gain approval.

For development to occur which exceeds the height limit, there must be public benefit and outstanding design excellence, as per the the Nelson Bay Strategy (2012). 

Councillors John Nell, Geoff Dingle and Peter Kafer were unsuccessful in putting forward a plan for the development to be put on hold until a review of the Nelson Bay Strategy is published mid-year.

Nigel Waters from the Tomaree Ratepayers & Residents Association said the Council's decision has set a dangerous precedent for development in the region and defeated the purpose of community consultations.

"If counsel tries in its new strategy to impose some sort of sensible height limit in line with community expectations, then developers will be able to say 'well you approved one last year which was double the height limit, we want the same', said Mr Waters.

"...the public need to get behind this consultative process and make it very clear that we want not only sensible height limits but also a mechanism to actually control them. That's going to be difficult now that they've set this precedent."

Man glassed at Nelson Bay pub

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man will face Raymond Terrace Local Court today accused of glassing another man at a Nelson Bay pub.

Police allege a fight broke out between two men shortly before 9pm on Saturday night at The Seabreeze Hotel on Stockton Street.

One of the men, a 28-year-old, allegedly struck the other in the face with a schooner glass, leaving the victim with a severe laceration to his right ear.

He is currently at John Hunter Hospital and expected to undergo surgery.

The 28-year-old man attended Raymond Terrace Police Station on Sunday where he spoke with detectives and was charged with wound with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He was refused bail.

Image Flickr

Nelson Bay Says No to Highrises

BY RACHEL STORER

Part of the Nelson Bay Foreshore. Image: Port Stephens Council.

Port Stephens Council planners have recommended that an apartment block in Church Street be raised to 29-32 metres tall.

This recommendation is more than double the existing allowable height outlined by the Local Environment Plan. There is also concerns from residents that the council proposal is ignoring the review of the 2012 Nelson Bay Town and Foreshore Strategy.

Tomaree Ratepayers and Residents Association (TRRA) Vice Presdient, Dick Appleby says he is particularly concerned of the council trying to turn Nelson Bay into the next Gold Coast.

"We've done a survey and looked at the ABS figures and the occupancy rate, or rather the 'un-occupancy' rate for the apartments in the area stands at 76-78%," he said.

"We don't really agree with the idea of build it and they will come, we think the answer to it is to make what's here now more attractive, which was in the original 2012 strategy.

"We can't see the sense in having a comprehensive review of the strategy, calling all these consultant groups and public meetings regarding building height, and then not waiting for it to be finalised and seeing the results," Mr Appleby said.

The TRRA has assured the public they are not "anti-development' for Nelson Bay, rather they want to see the town prosper without the council's idea of 20-storey buildings throughout the CBD.

Michael Diamond facing court today

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Hunter Olympic shooter Michael Diamond is at Raymond Terrace local court today answering to firearm and drink driving charges which were filed during an alleged domestic dispute with his brother back in May.

He pleaded not guilty to be involved in the domestic dispute at a home in Nelson Bay, as well as to four charges relating to driving under the influence and gun and ammunition storage in May.

Diamond blew three times the blood alcohol limit when police arrested him.

The arrest and charges cost him his spot in this year's Rio Olympics.

The hearing is expected to continue for most of today.

Man arrested after discovery of imitation firearm

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man has been placed under arrest and charged with possession of an unauthorised prohibited firearm overnight in Nelson Bay.

At about 2am, a 33-year-old male was stopped for an Random Breath Test when police proceeded to search the vehicle.

A replica firearm was found.