Man the victim of a terrifying attack by a man he met online

BY JESSICA ROUSE

UPDATE:

A man accused of shooting another man with a bolt gun at in the Hunter Valley is due to face court again today after being refused bail in Singleton Court.

Stephen Orr allegedly shot the 67-year-old at a home at Paynes Crossing on Sunday, leaving the alleged victim with two fractured vertebrae.

Police say the pair went to a licensed premises at Pokolbin earlier in the day after meeting online.

EARLIER:

A man has been the victim of a terrifying attack in Pokolbin from a man he met online.

Police say, two men - a 55 and 67-year-old - caught up at a pub on Broke Road yesterday afternoon after meeting online.

From there the two men went to a home on Wollombi Road where it's alleged the older man assaulted the 55-year-old with a bolt gun and also threatened him with a firearm.

A physical altercation erupted between the pair before the older man managed to flee and stop a passing motorist.

The motorists took him to Cessnock Hospital and he's since been transferred to John Hunter Hospital with two fractured vertebrae and a laceration to his neck.

While the man nurses his injuries, police commenced investigations which led them to a house on Casey Drive in Singleton where they arrested the 55-year-old.

He was taken to Maitland Police Station where he was charged with cause grevious bodily harm with intent.

He was refused bail and faces Singelton Local Court today.

Police on the hunt for driver after high speed pursuit

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Police are on the hunt for a driver who evaded police during a high-speed pursuit in Cessnock early this morning.

Just after 4am police noticed the Daihatsu Charade hatchback doing 100km/hr on Wollombi Road and also noticed the 25-year-old driver had a suspended license. He had previously held a red provisional license.

Police attempted to stop him but he sped up onto Allandale Road, Mountview Road and back onto Wollombi Road.

The driver ran a red light and police terminated the pursuit.

One year on and still no answers

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

One year on and the family of a Raymond Terrace woman who died in police custody 12 months ago say they're still waiting for answers.

Rebecca Maher became the first Aboriginal person in 16 years to die in police custody in NSW. The 36-year-old was found dead in a holding cell at Maitland Police Station no more than five hours after police had arrested her for appearing intoxicated on the side of Wollombi Road at Cessnock.

Fairfax reports police are still preparing a report for the Coronor.

Man Dies in Wollombi Car Accident

BY GEORGIA LUPTON

A man has been killed in a single vehicle accident at Wollombi yesterday.

Emergency services attended the scene around 1pm yesterday afternoon, attempting to free the trapped 23-year-old driver.

The victim later died as a result of his injuries.

Officers from Central Hunter Local Area Command are investigating the incident.

Police are urging any witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.

Police appeal for help to find Cessnock Pokies Bandit

BY JARROD MELMETH

Detectives believe a string of break-ins and armed hold-ups across the Central Hunter between October 13th and 26th last month are linked.

The first incident occurred between midnight and 3am on Thursday, October 13, when a club in Cessnock was broken into and money was taken from a number of gaming machines.

The same club was targeted between 11pm and midnight on Sunday, October 16, with money taken from gaming machines.

About 6:40am on Wednesday, October 19, a man entered a Metro service station on Wollombi Road armed with a home-made fake firearm and threatened the attendant. The man left the store without taking any items and was seen entering a waiting vehicle which was driven towards Cessnock.

The man struck again, about 2:20am Saturday, October 22 and again just after 4am on Wednesday, October 26, when entry was forced to a club in Bellbird. A number of gaming machines had coins taken from them.

Tariq Al Issawi from NSW Police says detectives are seeking public assistance to identify a man who on each occasion concealed his identity with a hooded jumper.

"Anyone with information to assist police should call Maitland Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000."

CCTV images of the man.