Tag Archives: oceania

No release for youngest ever convicted murderer pending psych reports

A court has opted to keep Australia's youngest-ever convicted murderer locked up for now amid fears he could act out thoughts of revenge if allowed to walk free.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was 13 years and 10 months old when he stabbed toddler Courtney Morley-Clarke to death after abducting her from a home on the NSW Central Coast.

He was sentenced in August 2002 to 20 years behind bars but was released in September 2023, before swiftly being returned to custody for breaching his conditions.

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Courtney Morley-Clarke.

The NSW Supreme Court today granted an urgent application to keep the now-37-year-old in jail for a further 28 days, under an interim detention order.

Justice Mark Ierace ordered the man to undergo psychiatric or psychological examination by at least two registered professionals, with their reports to be tendered to the court.

In arguing for an interim detention order to be placed on the man, barrister for the state government Gillian Mahony SC noted he had largely failed to provide a believable explanation for why he murdered the toddler.

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Courtney Morley-Clarke.

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"It has not been understood why he did the offending that he did," she said.

The man also had a history of ruminating on thoughts of violent revenge towards those he perceived as having slighted him, Mahony added.

On one occasion while in custody, the man used a razor to slash the hand of a correctional officer who was serving him lunch, requiring 22 stitches.

"The evidence speaks to (the fact) that the defendant had planned that and had ruminated about that for some months," Mahony said.

"It was random to the extent it didn't matter who the person was that served the lunch – but it was a planned attack."

The man also made persistent threats towards another correctional officer, leading to a charge that he was ultimately cleared of.

While it was not disputed that threats were made, the criminal elements of the charge could not be proven, the court was told.

Mahony said the man's fixation on the officer was a considerable factor behind the application not to have him released on an extended supervision order.

"It relies upon the defendant being able to moderate and control his thoughts of revenge and that is something that he has not been able to do," she said.

Defence barrister Dev Bhutani argued a supervision order requiring a direct line of sight by an officer at all times was sufficient to reduce any threat his client might pose.

Since the threats were made against the officer in late 2023 and early 2024, there had been a significant de-escalation in the man's fixation, he said.

"The threats were live when the defendant found himself in custody, for what he thought was wrongfully," Bhutani added.

But Mahony pointed out the man had a history of non-compliance with supervision orders, which had landed him back in jail already.

One month after his release on the murder sentence, the man spoke with a mother who was dressing her young son near the community showers at Bulli Beach, near Wollongong, in breach of a condition that he not approach children.

His 18-month jail sentence for that breach was backdated to his October 2023 arrest making him first eligible for release on Thursday.

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Baby Antonia suffered a fractured skull during alleged violent break-in

The community has rallied around the family of a two-month-old baby whose skull was fractured during an alleged violent home invasion in Alice Springs.

Baby Antonia was in her mother Nicole Siguenza's arms when their home in Larapinta was allegedly broken into by two teenagers on December 11.

The pair were assaulted with a metal weapon, police say, which left Antonia with serious head injuries, including a fractured skull and a brain bleed.

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Baby Antonia suffered fractured skull during alleged home invasion in Alice Springs

Mother-of-five Nicole and Antonia were taken to hospital in Adelaide and a fundraiser has been set up to support the family following the "horrific" incident".

"Dad, Marlon, remains in Alice Springs to take care of their other four children so cannot work at this time," a fundraiser for the Siguenza family reads.

"Christmas plays such a big part to the Siguenza's and we're praying they can all be together soon."

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In-person fundraisers around Alice Springs have also been organised to help the Siguenzas, including a bake sale held last week.

A second fundraiser is being advertised on social media at an Alice Springs brewery next month.

Marlon told ABC his daughter had suffered seizures as a result of the attack.

He said she was "doing better" but remains in hospital.

Nicole suffered bruising but is otherwise OK.

Chief Minister of the Northern Territory Lia Finocchiaro during a press conference following a National Cabinet meeting, at Parliament House in Canberra on Friday 6 September 2024. fedpol Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

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The offenders, aged 16 and 17, were both apprehended within an hour and half of the alleged home invasion.

They have both been charged with five offences including unlawfully causing serious harm, aggravated assault and robbery, theft and aggravated burglary.

The alleged crime prompted a response from NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, who described it as "totally unacceptable".

"It is far from normal. People deserve to be safe in their homes," she said.

"I'd like to acknowledge also that there are a lot of very angry people in this town who feel frustrated, scared, hurt by what has taken place over recent weeks and they deserve to be angry."

NT Police also announced it would widen a taskforce aimed at reducing crime across the region following the arrests.

Operation Ludlow will now focus on more suburbs around Alice Springs, police said.

Rachel’s income was slashed by $200 a week after side hustle scam

Rachael Donnellan has been renting out clothes from her own wardrobe to make extra cash since 2016 but a recent scam slashed her income by $200 per week.

She's one of thousands of Australians who have relied on side hustles to boost their income as the nation struggles through a cost of living crisis.

Almost 70 per cent of employed Aussies are considering or already engaged in side hustles, according to research by Fiverr — and it's not just young people.

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Rachel Donnellan is one of many Aussies supplementing their income with a side hustle renting out clothes.

Almost half (45 per cent) of over-55s actively participate in side hustles compared to 81 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds.

A survey from Small Business Loans Australia (SBLA) also found that 55 per cent of Aussies hope to start a side hustle or small business within the next five years, many hoping to supplement their income.

That's what Donnellan wanted when she started renting out Kookai dresses as a hobby and turned it into Hire Melbourne, a thriving clothing hire business she co-owns.

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