Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Short stuff

Kerry Stokes,who has a managing interest in WAN Holdings has notified the state government that he will be nominating for the board to oust the current management of The West Australian, who according to this story have a "conflict of interest."

Two Belmont boys were arrested for setting fire to a taxi in Redcliffe.

Danny Green jumped on his head to help 'troubled' kids this week, seems like the media can't get enough of the Green Machine lately.

Taggers have been banned from public transport but not pedophiles.

FOF - a 42 y/o man has been charged with sexually assaulting 2 teenage boys in Perth CBD

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Serial rapist - police appeal for information

Police are appealing for women to come forward who may have been assaulted by Mark Dixie, aka Shane Turner, an English chef who worked in Perth & Sydney during the '90s. Dixie was sentenced to 34 years yesterday in Britain for the rape and murder of an English model. He was dismissed as a suspect in the still unsolved Claremont serial killings during the 90s. A DNA link has been established to a cold case rape of a student in Perth, who suffered multiple stab wounds and was raped while unconscious, & police think the serial offender may also be responsible for more sexual assaults during his time in Australia. He was deported from Australia for obscene exposure.

Nigerian bank scam operating from Queens Park...huh? A thirty year old African guy was arrested by the computer crime unit of the WA police - presumably not with force.

The WA Attorney General has reiterated his commitment to appointing Indigenous interpreters for court services. Currently those First Nation People going through the courts who are non-English speaking or who have limited English language skills, have no assistance to understand what is being said in court. This only serves to compound what must seem like bizarre court rituals to those from other cultures and it would beg one to ask how a defendant can plead guilty or not, if they don't know what they're being charged with? Victims would also be unable to adequately convey what has happened to them...perhaps this could be a contributing factor into the escalating Indigenous incarceration rates which have 3% of WA's population comprising 43% of all WA prisoners.

Don't need reason, don't need rhyme

I'd prefer not to reveal the existence of my true inner-bogan, but seeing how Freo are revealing theirs...




Go Nan...


Shorts
Perth lawyer Josephine Pepe, has been ordered to stand trial on June 24-26, over a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice. It's alleged she deterred a witness from giving evidence in a trial relating to her then boyfriend.

Troy Mercanti faces two trials during May for assault charges in relation to an incident at Geisha and at the Cooby.

Ben Cousins has failed to register to fight at the KO to Drugs event, with some in the media suggesting it may relate to drug testing.

WAPOL's traffic branch and all squad cars have had an upgrade of what information is made available to them - they will be given access to a national database of criminal records from today.

Top Dog leaves
A senior officer of the 'Dog Squad' or State Intelligence Bureau, has left the WA Police Service. The Dog Squad came under focus last month when an investigation was launched into $15,000 spent on surveillance of schoolies week in Dunsborough. Recent winner of the Australian Police Medal, Barbara Etter, said last month that ``If they were there for a party weekend ... God help them.'' which perhaps He did, but they say God helps those who help themselves and with the power this secretive unit yield, it's hard to imagine them requiring the likes of divine intervention. Chris Dawson has said that a complaint by an officer about the expenditure was not sustained and the matter, clearly, has been summarily and characteristically - mysteriously dismissed. The unit, which is responsible for surveillance gathering in a number of settings, offers its employees an elevated security status and seeming immunity from transparent public examination. The January 27 story was pretty much unprecedented in it's discussion of an internal investigation into WAPOL's elite 'secret police.' Paul Richards - who entered the police service via the DEAT program - worked at WAPOL for approximately 15 mths and similarly, police say there is no trouble with the DEAT either. I'll just book the Jiffy Van now...


Perth newspapers still on the spin cycle
The WA Police Union are once again beating the drum about assaults on police. They say the laws passed by the upper house will be inadequate in ensuring people found guilty of assaulting an officer receive a mandatory jail sentence. This is the second feature story this week at The Sunday Times that gives the WA Police Union unlimited interview space and headlines/leads that conform to their point of view on the website(i.e. 'Police Had to taser boy - union'). It has been said by some *unnamed* old-school journos in Perth that this may be attributable to The Times proximity to the same watering hole frequented by the staff at Curtin House.
There has been more trouble among the newspapers in Perth, with some unknown person from the government releasing to the Perth bureau of a national daily, The Australian, a damaging dossier on The West Australian's editor, Paul Armstrong.


Thursday, February 21, 2008

Lunacy

It seems ironic that with a rocketing Indigenous incarceration rate in Western Australia - higher than those in any other part of the country for what are mostly trivial offences and fines, that Kim Chance should only now suggest the government investigate alternatives to gaol when a (former)pollie may have to go inside.



A WAPOL Senior Constable - David Hill - was released on bail yesterday until sentencing, after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography. He was stood down from 'operational duties' after being charged a few weeks ago.


Those seeds are sown far earlier...
Bemoaned as 'universities of crime,' prisons take on new appearance beyond the social engineering of the 1950s(aka the Howard years).
In Perth this week 2 adult police officers attempted to taser a 12 y/o child - who allegedly had a knife and was 'dangerously' close to a pair of school scissors. Teachers maintained they had been threatened by the child. 1100 tasers were issued to WA police last year amid controversy over their effective & appropriate use. While for some officers it may seem that tasers might bring a quick resolution to a physical threat, some sections of the community suggest risks outweigh possible advantages. Though tasers would seemingly offer police a safer alternative to the use of a firearm when used on a suspect(i.e. an adult), the death in custody of a 48 y/o man in August after being tasered(the day before the official release of the 1100 new tasers) would tend to cast some doubts over that.
Two more of a large group of school bullies who tortured another student, were ordered to do community work and undertake counselling. The education minister is looking for 42 more teachers to fill shortfalls in staffing in WA schools, and in some regional centres children are having to supplement their schooling online at home - which I guess is likely at least to limit students' exposure to bullying. If school books are redundant and the classrooms are kaput, and schools are too much of a liability in addition to the distress students experience while attending, why do we all feel an obligation to switch off & return our kids there daily? Whose more messed up?


Newspaper wars in Perth.
The West Australian was told by the Minister for Health that they'd no longer be informed of upcoming media conferences by phone and fax alerts, upon which, the paper tried to drum up some expert opinion & support - which backfired on them.

The practice really does disadvantage a journo and it's sad for some of the (better) journos at the state's only daily.

However only 2 years earlier during a small but enthusiastic protest about the same blanket-ban treatment for freelance journos, neither The West, nor it's journos - be they good, bad or in between, were concerned in the least about the inequitable working conditions the black list caused independent contractors.

It is unfortunate that The West's journos now have to compete on a level playing field with sole-contractors(for health stories at least). (...Go Jim!!!)


Saturday, February 16, 2008

Constable Careless

One of the Kalgoorlie Six, working at Fremantle CIB at the time, heads off to gaol.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Senti-mental




It's come to my attention that some of the readers here at TDM are stark raving sentimentalists, not that I'm pointing the finger at anyone...

So, to honour your courageous tender wee hearts on a day like thus, please find not one, but two, lerverly toons to warm your cockles.

My Bloody Valentine were defunkt for about 12 years & reinvented themselves only in recent times. Waves of distortion wash over the listener in Sometimes, and ever so surreptitiously slap the living daylights out of any romantic notions they once entertained, leaving one refreshingly depressed with no emotional investment required.

The second tune won't be for everyone - contemporary jazz pianist Keith Jarrett playing My Funny Valentine, but he's definitely worth a watch, if not solely for the rather disconcerting faces he pulls during his performance.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Justice Betty turns the tables on trial by tv

The 'Underbelly' debate rages over at Larvatus Prodeo, who normally ensure they keep one foot flat on the floor at all times, but they've let their hair down and delved into the Melbourne underworld for one post of wild debauchery.

Channel Nine's broadcasting and promotion of the tasteless Underbelly series was suspended by Justice Betty King, in the interests of a fair trial for an unnamed witness who is currently accused of the murder of one "gangland" identity.

While it has been argued the accused could opt for a trial to be heard by a judge alone, it is his right to choose between that, or a jury made up of 12 citizens(they are seldom a defendent's 'peers').

With some upcoming trials there may be some difficulties along these lines due to the widespread media coverage some notables have attracted from the ravenous media pack. It is interesting that Betty King has made an unprecedented blanket ruling that demands no shows or promotional excerpts to be available via any media, including the internet, until the trial concludes.

Just a little bit of good news

Do firees ever do anything wrong?! They've got to be a pr person's dream - not only do they have a very cool calendar this year that sees them showing off their physiques, but they also saved this little puppy who needed the jaws of life to rescue him from a nasty fence he got stuck on in Kwinana at 2.30am yesterday morning.

WA Corrective Services have begun recruiting prisoners set for parole to help improve the shortage of workers in WA. A lack of employment is a primary cause of offending and recidivism, with an apparent 80% of theft-related crime motivated by poverty. So, the strategy's potential for progress in beating stereotypes and reoffending is just mammoth.

Above the belt?

Light Heavyweight World champ Danny Green yesterday publicly slammed Anthony Mundine's KO to drugs promotion alongside Ben Cousins, who has now officially come out about his past addictions to a welcoming national media pack.

Mundine has long been an outspoken critic of the insidious nature of drug use in pop sports, like footy and rugby league, which receive the super clean pr routine that make the events more commercially viable and get the "bums on seats" - no questions asked.

Green accused Cousins of being Mundine's puppet and added that he thought it was insulting for Cousins - a relative boxing novice, to consider himself worthy of being included on the undercard at the annual anti-drugs boxing event, particularly at the age of 29. Mundine was also a late starter in boxing, although his father ran a gym for decades in Sydney's rough inner-city suburb of Redfern. He has excelled at a number of sports including rugby & basketball, but only took up boxing in 2000 at the age of 25, & ironically, beat the Green Machine in a bout in May 2006 after only 5 years of full-time training. His currect win-loss stats are 30/3(23 k-o).

Green, 34 y/o, who grew up in Perth's affluent western suburbs, was involved in martial arts from an early age but football was the sport of choice in his home environment. His brother was recruited to the Eagles and his father was involved in coaching junior leagues. He's a former Olympic competitor, notable for the technical prowess he gained through life-long training & his time at the AIS.

Both boxers have a history of shooting from the lip when it comes to their rivalry, which is not uncommon - many fights are won before getting into the ring.

But in his statement to the media today, Green suggests it is not the rivalry with Mundine that prompted his acidic remarks towards Cousins, but rather that he feels Cousins should have given the WA media the scoop on his past. This is despite Cousins feeling burnt by treatment from the local media, over baseless drugs charges and his sacking, all whilst he was mourning the loss of his friend Chris Mainwaring.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Shorting out

A Belmont mum & daughter, Angela Patricia Jackson and Nikita Key, have gone missing, last seen a week ago at Rockingham train station.

Gypsy Jokers motorcycle club have lost their High Court challenge on WAPOL's anti-fortification laws, and were not entitled to know what intelligence justified the police request to strip the Maddington clubhouse of its security measures, while several OMCG clubhouses in Perth still retain theirs.

No further light has been shed on the ethical dilemmas of cold case investigations and judgments. This week Victoria police are in Perth searching for a man they allege may have killed his pregnant wife and three children, and it has only taken them 40 years to clear their case load. Last week WAPOL arrested a Rockingham man over an armed robbery that occurred almost ten years ago, although they have not suggested there is any existing DNA evidence linking the man to the crime.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Local lurkers

There was more domestic violence in Rivervale on Thursday, as a 21 y/o woman was run down by her 22 y/o ex, who was later charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm. Neighbours had helped the woman to her feet following a physical dispute between the two on the front verge of her house, when the guy allegedly lined up his car and ran her down. He later returned to take her to hospital.

A sudden spike in burglaries in the Belmont area over the Christmas period, came to a slightly less sudden halt, when a couple living in a motel in Rivervale's Bronx area were arrested. Police said 180 items were seized from second hand stores in the area. Burglaries in the region typically increase during the holiday season with this year marginally worse than recent years. Even TDM headquarters incurred damage (but no losses)a few times during January...sniff, sniff...sob... Burglars beware - never underestimate the hidden brilliance of lo-teks(Warning: gratuitous Gibson plug)

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Charges over Rivervale murder

A 24 y/o Rivervale man was charged by WA police on Friday night, when the body of his flatmate was found after a fire in Hazelmere scrubland. Carli Anne Shaw shared a duplex in Armadale Rd with the accused - Cameron James Russell, and her two toddlers who have now been put into the care of the Dept of Child Protection.

The WA police commissioner has said a considerable amount of time will be needed to fully investigate the large amount of evidence gathered in relation to the murder of Como mum and Supreme Court registrar, Corryn Rayney. Police maintain that the case hasn't floundered despite six months passing since Ms Rayney's grave was discovered in Kings Park.



The above table is taken from this AIC report. The latest homicide stats below...

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Luke's lucky break.

Monday, February 04, 2008

What tha...

On what may have been a "slow news day," journos at The West must have been kicking their heels together over a text tip-off about the alleged gang bashing of CC's sergeant at arms, Troy Mercanti.

The lead for the story ran in bold coloured font on the cover, but strangely the page 5 story had no byline - a leading news story with no author...hmmn.

Not to be outdone, News.com.au were quick to pick up a revamp of the story, alleging an assault on Mercanti by "up to 15 bikies."

But when Channel 7 actually showed Mercanti on the local news at 6(good on them for their initiative), he looked surprisingly fit and healthy. In fact, he looked not entirely unlike the 2007 file photos emblazoning the print media stories which gave them the opportunity to draw attention to the charges he faces, yet again - PE1.

Though he probably wasn't all that impressed to have Channel7's news team filming him in his front yard, it gave the public a good opportunity to observe the ill-functioning mechanics of the Perth news media, who yield the power to turn virtually any citizen into an outlaw, with the power of the pen.

It would appear that some of our poor local journos don't have a real good grasp on how much physical damage one burly man can do, let alone 15, & readers should understand that most journos aren't usually the physical type. More frequently than not, they pop themselves into a partitioned fibro bubble safely sheltered from the rest of the community upon appointment, until perishing 50 years later from a lack of sunlight.