Graeme Lawrence Handed Eight Year Sentence for Sexual Abuse

BY MADELAINE MCNEILL

Former Anglican Dean of Newcastle, Graeme Lawrence, has been sentenced to eight years in gaol for sexual assaulting a teenage boy in the early 1990s.

Lawrence was found guilty in June of sexual intercourse without consent and indecent assault on a person under 16.

The 77-year-old will spend at least 4 years and 6 months behind bars for abusing the 15-year-old at the Christ Church Cathedral deanery in 1991.

City of Newcastle stripped Lawrence of his Freeman of the City and Citizen of the Year awards following his conviction.

Image: ABC

Alleged Fraudster to Face Court Over $288,000 Dollar Deception

BY MADELAINE MCNEILL

A Woodberry woman will face court next month accused of defrauding a local business of more than $250,000 dollars.

Investigations began in March into alleged fraudulent transactions at a Thornton business between June 2012 and May 2018.

It's alleged the 45-year-old transferred a $288,812 dollars from the business account to a number of personal bank accounts.

The woman was arrested at Raymond Terrace Police Station on Thursday and has been charged with 25 counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception.

The alleged fraudster has been granted strict conditional bail to face Maitland Local Court on Friday, October 11.

Jarryd Hayne Pleads Not Guilty to Hunter Sexual Assault

BY MADELAINE MCNEILL

Ex-NRL star Jarryd Hayne has pleaded not guilty to raping a woman at a Fletcher home last year.

It's alleged Hayne had sex with a 26-year-old woman without her consent, knowing that she did not consent, on NRL Grand Final night in September last year.

The former Parramatta Eels player was arraigned in Newcastle District Count court on Thursday morning, where he pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual assault and inflict actual bodily harm.

The 31-year-old will remain on bail until his trial begins on May 4th, 2020.

Earlier this month, Hayne's bail conditions were altered to allow him to attend a religious education course in Perth.

The trial is expected to take between 5 and 7 days.

Jarryd Hayne. Image: Pedestrian TV

Jesmond man accused of glassing another man

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

A Jesmond man will face court next week after a violent brawl at Islington over the weekend.

The 25-year-old man is accused of attacking a 24-year-old man with a glass bottle outside a unit block in Millford Street at about 3am yesterday.

The alleged victim suffered a laceration under his eye and bruises to the face.

The accused has since been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and will face court June 16.

Pair arrested after break-ins at Wallsend

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Two people face court today after being charged with break, enter and steal in Lake Macquarie this morning.

At about 1am, the 43-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were seen driving down Royalty Street in West Wallsend with their car headlights off.

They broke into three new homes and took items from the properties which they were seen putting in their car.

Police stopped the maroon Toyota Corolla and searched it, also finding house breaking tools and a knife in their possession.

They were taken to Toronto Police Station and charged with aggravated break and enter, goods in custody, possess house breaking implements and custody of a knife.

They were refused bail.

Violent home invasion at East Maitland

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A 19-year-old man is facing court today after a terrifying home invasion in East Maitland overnight.

Just after 9pm, three males forced their way into a Curtin Street home and assaulted a 20-year-old male resident punching him to the ground while a fourth man waited outside.

A 20-year-old woman was at home at the time as well, when the man was kicked on the ground and left with minor injuries.

The four males then fled the scene in a silver vehicle.

It wasn't long before police found the vehicle in the carpark of a licensed premises in East Maitland, and a short time later, they arrested a 19-year-old man on Molly Morgan Drive.

He was charged with aggravated break and enter and commit a serious indictable offence as well as resist an officer in the execution of duty.

Police are still on the hunt for the other three men.

Biggest gun heist in Hunter history

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

Police have arrested three men over the theft of 40 shotguns and rifles from a Newcastle storage facility last December.

In the biggest gun heist in the Hunter's history, Fairfax Media reports detectives from Strike Force Eddonville have managed to recover at least 33 of the missing guns stolen from a Kennards storage facility in Newcastle West.

Police had feared the weapons could be sold on the black market and end up in the hands of criminals.

The three men now face the courts on a range of charges including burglary and property offences.

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.