The Northern Territory news Thu 11 Jun 2020
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2020-06-11
English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.
News Corp Australia
Darwin
application/pdf
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News Corp Australia
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/803411
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/803586
THURSDAY JUNE 11 2020 NEWS 23 V1 - NTNE01Z01MA MORE than a month after photos of former AFL premiership player and coach Dean Laidley in police custody were leaked, no-one has been charged. Four senior constables were suspended over the release of the photographs last month and were expected to be charged with misconduct. But the investigation is still ongoing and no charges have been laid, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said. Laidley was arrested outside a home in St Kilda on May 2 and charged with stalking and other offences. A day later the 53-year-olds mug shot and a picture of him wearing a long blonde wig and a dress were shared on social media. Police Minister Lisa Neville described the leak as an idiotic thing to do. Laidleys barrister Phil Dunn said the former footballer and his family were devastated by the release of the images. Laidleys matter was back in court this week when his stay at an inpatient drug rehabilitation facility was extended. Consumers get over virus trauma COLIN BRINSDEN AAP A MAN from outside Tennant Creek who had an unlawful domestic relationship with a girl almost 10 years his junior has been jailed for child abuse after the girl fell pregnant. The man who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to one count of having sexual intercourse with the 14-year-old in 2015. The court heard the man, Jail for sex with girl, 14, who fell pregnant JASON WALLS Court Reporter then aged 23 and nine months, began the relationship with the girl in their home community when she was aged 13 and had sex with her both there and in Tennant Creek. The man had unprotected sex with the girl in May and in August her mother took her to the local health clinic where she found she was pregnant, and later underwent a termination at the Alice Springs Hospital. The girl declined to be interviewed by police but investigators collected DNA evidence under warrant that revealed the man was the father of her unborn child. In sentencing the man to one year and eight months in jail suspended after seven months Justice Peter Barr noted his prior conviction for assaulting the same girl in a community recreation shed used by local children for afterschool activities. It appears that you thought you had been disrespected by the victim and you threw a stick at her, which narrowly missed, he said. You then picked up a big, long black broom and struck her twice to the back of her head while she was facing away from you. This caused her to cry out in pain. Justice Barr said while the man had no prior convictions for similar offending, the significant age difference between you and the child was an aggravating factor. You were almost 24 and she was just 14, he said. That girl was far too young to be making decisions about sexual intercourse and being in a relationship with you, a much older man you should have known better, being an older person. Fortunately for you, you do not have any other convictions for offending of this kind, whether before or after May 2015, and as I mentioned earlier, you have not reoffended in any significant way since May 2015. I am confident that you can maintain your good behaviour after you are let out of prison. No progress on Laidley photo leak KAREN SWEENEY AAP ITS not just the boffins at Treasury who are more confident about the economy. Consumers too are happier about their lot than they were just a couple of months ago when they were expecting the worst from coronavirus. The monthly Westpac-Melbourne Institute consumer sentiment index jumped 6.3 per cent in June, and has now recovered all of the 20 per cent loss after the pandemic exploded in March/April. Westpac chief economic Bill Evans thinks the rebound is remarkable. Confidence has clearly been buoyed by Australias continued success in bringing the coronavirus under control, which has in turn allowed for a further easing in social restrictions over the last month, Mr Evans said yesterday. However, he said with the unemployment rate set to remain elevated, extensive restrictions staying in place and the economy facing structural change it would be surprising if the recent upward momentum continues. Group helps Defence families feel at home in the NT WILL ZWAR will.zwar@news.com.au NO matter how many times they do it, Defence families always face challenges settling into a new home. Add a global pandemic to the mix and the world can feel like a very lonely place. However, the Robertson Barracks Family Group (RBFG) has helped make life easier for settling families, dropping off care packages and helping them build connections online during coronavirus shutdowns. It has seen the group nominated for the Territory Hero Awards Neighbourhood/Group Hero category. RBFG Centre co-ordinator Cassandra Vuat said once lockdowns kept people off the streets and in home as much as possible, it was more important than ever to connect with them. We started setting up care packages for our members, particularly focusing on those whose partners were deployed at the time and especially those new to the NT, she said. Defence families move around a lot, it is difficult to find a way in and make friends, thats why the family centres are a great place to go, youre around other people in the same position as you. The committee and I were quite worried we wanted to provide a support network and show those what its like to live up here, especially those with little kids. The care packages gave parents at home something to do with their children such as arts and crafts activities, while building friendships through a Facebook network. Nominations for the Territory Hero Awards close on June 19. Dob in your everyday hero and visit the website to see all the different categories:territoryday.nt.gov.au/territoryhero-awards/ Steph Hilser-Ritter and Cassandra Vuat help Defence families settle in to their new environments and make connections Picture: CHE CHORLEY HEROES Territory