A man has been charged after allegedly indecently assaulting a young girl in the Riverina.

On Wednesday 18 May 2016, police from the Child Abuse Squad commenced an investigation following a report an 11-year-old girl had been indecent assaulted.

It’s alleged the 11-year-old girl was indecently assaulted when staying with family friends last year.

Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Child Abuse Squad were alerted on Wednesday 18 May 2016, and began an investigation into the alleged incident.

Following their inquiries, a 29-year-old man was arrested at Wagga Wagga Police Station yesterday (Wednesday 25 May 2016), and charged with indecent assault of person under 16.

He later appeared at Wagga Wagga Local Court and was granted bail to reappear at the same court on Wednesday 20 July 2016.

The Child Abuse Squad is comprised of detectives who are specially trained to investigate crimes against children, including sexual assault, physical abuse and serious cases of neglect.

A man has been charged following an alleged sexual assault, involving two personnel, at a federal government facility in Wagga Wagga yesterday.

Between 6.30pm and 7pm (Wednesday 25 May 2016), a 20-year-old woman was in the laundry of the facility when it is alleged she was approached by a man.

It is further alleged the man forced her to the ground and sexually assaulted her before leaving.

The incident was reported to police and an investigation commenced.

About 2.30am this morning (Thursday 26 May 2016), police arrested a 26-year-old man. He was taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station and charged with sexual intercourse without consent.

He was refused bail to appear in Wagga Wagga Local Court today (Thursday 26 May 2016).

NEAR misses between trucks and cars on the Yarara Gap are a thing of the past following the completion of one of the biggest road projects in Greater Hume Shire in recent times.

The $3.5 million reconstruction of a notorious 2.3-kilometre section of the Jingellic Road was officially opened on Tuesday.

Jingellic Road is a major link road between the Hume Highway and the Upper Murray areas with travel times reduced by up to 10 minutes.

But Greater Hume mayor Heather Wilton spoke with personal experience about how dangerous the Yarara Gap stretch was before the upgrade.

“It was a very narrow, winding, steep gradient with nowhere to pull off if you got into trouble,” she told The Border Mail.

“It was being used by log trucks, B-doubles, stock transports and if you were caught on the wrong side of one of them it was a very scary event.

“You can actually drive on the road in top gear now.

“Previously you were lucky to get up in second gear.”

B-double transports will be the biggest beneficiaries of the upgrade.

The council estimates 30 new jobs and 100 indirect jobs will be created as a result of the better road over the Yarara Gap.

Sawn logs from the softwood forests of the Upper Murray to the Ettamogah rail hub and Norske Skog paper mill can be carted by B-doubles instead of semi-trailers and livestock trucks previously avoided the road due to safety concerns when travelling between Holbrook and Corryong.

Freight carriers will also have a viable alternative if Tumbarumba Road is shut to bushfires as happened in 2014.

Greater Hume worked with Tumbarumba Shire in building the case for $1.75 million in federal funding and another $750,000 from the NSW government.

Cr Wilton praised the efforts of contractors to keep the road open during the 30-week reconstruction.

“Community engagement efforts prior to the letting of the tender and during the project meant that affected residents were kept informed throughout by council,” she said.

“The fact that the roadway remained open during the project met with high community approval.”

Albury MLA Greg Aplin attended the official opening along with representatives of contractor RECivil, project manager GHD and residents.

Albury-Wodonga, on the Victorian/New South Wales border, is set to be home to Australia’s first cross laminated timber (CLT) manufacturing plant.

CLT is fabricated by bonding together timber boards with structural adhesives to produce a solid timber panel, with each layer of the panel alternating between longitudinal and transverse layers. Alternating the grain directions of each layer reduces many weakness found in other timber products.

The $25 million XLam operation is expected to create up to 54 jobs when its begins operations, scheduled for 2017.

While XLam is yet to determine a location to establish the 60,000 square metre plant, the company hopes construction will begin as early as next month.

XLam Australia business development manager Rob De Bincrat said Albury-Wodonga stood out as a competitive destination for investment.

“So we did a lot of feasibility on a lot of different locations and Albury-Wodonga stacked up significantly compared to others,” he said.

“The reason for that is location to the Hume Highway and also the ability to source skilled labour for the 54 direct and indirect jobs we’ll require to bring this development to fruition.”

He said the investment would be a major boon for the border community.

“From a jobs perspective we’re looking at a total of 30 direct roles in manufacturing and service-linked roles within the business and approximately 24 indirect jobs within areas like distribution, services, just growing distribution,” he said.

“The site will be a highly visited area with clients and the popularity of CLT across the world, so it will also assist with hotels and local-led entertainment.”

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man wanted on three warrants in the Wagga Wagga area.

Mason George Lee, aged 25, is described as being Caucasian in appearance with a medium build, he has brown hair and brown eyes and is about 175cm tall.

He was last known to be living in the Mount Austin area.

The warrants have been issued for revocation of parole, breaching a bond, and robbery in company.

If anyone knows his whereabouts, they are asked to contact police at Wagga Wagga Local Area Command or Triple Zero ‘000’.

Police have renewed their appeal for information about a woman who has been reported missing from Goulburn since last month.

Lin Dinnien, aged 56, was last seen by staff at a medical facility on Clifford Street, about 4pm on Wednesday 13 April 2016.

Ms Dinnien is described as being of Asian appearance, about 150-155cm tall, of medium build, with shoulder length black hair and brown eyes.

When last seen, Ms Dinnien was wearing a grey cardigan, black tights and sandals.

Ms Dinnien has no fixed place of abode and is known to frequently travel on trains throughout Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane Water areas.

Police continue to make inquiries into her whereabouts and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

A search is underway for a woman missing from Goulburn.

Lin Dinnien, aged 56, was last seen by staff at a medical facility on Clifford Street, about 4pm on Wednesday 13 April 2016.

Ms Dinnien is described as being of Asian appearance, about 150-155cm tall, with shoulder length black hair and a medium build. She has brown eyes and is of a medium build.

When last seen, Ms Dinnien was wearing a grey cardigan, black tights and sandals.

Police continue to make inquiries into her whereabouts and area appealing for information.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man wanted in the state’s Riverina region.

John Bianchi, aged 59, is wanted on a revocation of parole warrant.

The warrant relates to an armed robbery in Newcastle in 1993, as well as firearms offences.

Officers from Deniliquin Local Area Command are conducting inquiries in an attempt to locate Bianchi as it’s believed he could be in that area.

He is described as being of Mediterranean / Middle Eastern appearance, 170cm tall, with a thin build and black hair.

Anyone who sees Bianchi or believes they know his whereabouts is urged to contact Triple Zero ‘000’ immediately.

Magistrate Caroline Huntsman presided over a number of matters when Yass Local Court sat on Thursday, May 12:

William Michael Allen, 20, of Galong NSW came before court charged with mid-range drink driving. Mr Allen, who held a provisional driver’s licence, was stopped by police near the Yass Police Station in Rossi Street for a roadside breath test at about 1.30am on Sunday January 24. Police facts state he told police, “I’ve had heaps to drink” before he was escorted into the station for a breath analysis, which produced a positive reading of 0.126 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. Mr Allen stated he consumed six full strength beers and 500ml of wine between 9pm on January 23 and 1.15am on January 24. He also said he had not consumed any food during this period. For the offence of mid-range drink driving, he was fined $500 and disqualified for six months.

Anita Bumbar, 40, of Yass came before court charged with mid-range drink driving. About 12.05am on Wednesday November 25, 2015, Ms Bumbar was driving in a southerly direction along the Hume Highway near Bowning. She lost control of the vehicle and came to rest against a guard rail and emergency services were notified. Ms Bumbar was treated at the scene by paramedics and transported to Yass Hospital where a blood sample was taken. The reading was 0.085 grams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. Ms Bumbar told police she consumed alcohol at a local club in Yass prior to driving but has little memory of how the collision occurred. She was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Steven Douglas Butriss, 45, of Gunning came before court charged with driving with an illicit drug present in his blood. Mr Butriss was stopped by police about 2.10pm on Wednesday December 2, 2015 driving east on Collector Road at Gunning. He was subjected to an oral fluid test, which subsequently produced a positive detection to Methamphetamines. He was arrested for the purposes of a secondary oral fluid test and taken to Goulburn Police Station. This sample was tested and also returned a positive result. The remainder of the sample was sent to the NSW Forensic and Analytical Science Service and it returned a positive result to Methylamphetamine and deltra-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. He was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Manlio D’Amato, 61, of Mernda Vic, came before court charged with driving while his licence was suspended and low-range drink driving. Police noticed his car at 7.52pm on Saturday April 16 driving northeast on the Hume Highway and followed it to the Yass Service Centre. Police had knowledge of the vehicle as Mr D’Amato had been stopped by Gundagai Highway Patrol at 4.50pm that day on the Hume Highway at Tumblong. He had returned a breath analysis reading of 0.095 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath and was charged with mid-range drink driving. His licence was also suspended under Section 224 of the Road Transport Act. When later stopped by police in Yass, Mr D’Amato was asked why he was driving to which he stated he had to keep driving as he was in the middle of Melbourne and Sydney and needed to get to Sydney. He was submitted to another breath test, which returned a positive reading and was conveyed to Yass Police Station. There he underwent a breath analysis, which returned a reading of 0.072 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. He told police he had consumed two schooners of full strength beer at a hotel in Tarcutta between 5.50pm and 6.30pm on April 16. He was charged with low-range drink driving by Yass Police and driving with a suspended licence. For those offences, he was convicted in court and fined a total of $800 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Matthew Thomas Fitzsimmons, 34, of Coolamon NSW came before court charged with mid-range drink driving. Police stopped Mr Fitzsimmons driving along Lead Street at 6.20pm on Saturday March 5. He was subjected to a breath test, which returned a positive result and was conveyed to Yass Police Station. There he underwent a breath analysis, which indicated a reading of 0.145 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. Mr Fitzsimmons said he consumed three middies of beer between 5.45pm and 6pm during which time he did not eat any food. He was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for 6 months.

Peter Kennedy, 59, of Bonner ACT came before court charged with mid-range drink driving. Police were conducting stationary random breath testing along the Yass Valley Way at 4.25pm on Thursday February 18 when Mr Kennedy’s vehicle was stopped. He was submitted to a breath test that returned a positive result. At 4.50pm, he returned a reading to a breath analysis of 0.142 grams of alcohol in 210 millilitres of breath. He admitted to consuming a bottle of red wine and half a bottle of Jack Daniels whisky the night before, his last drink being at midnight. He was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for nine months.

Samantha Ann Smart, 24, of Burleigh Heads QLD came before court charged with mid-range drink driving. Ms Smart was driving in a northerly direction along the Yass Valley Way at 7.26pm on Saturday February 13. At the time, police were conducting stationary RBT and she was subjected to a breath test, which indicated a positive result. At the Yass Police Station, Ms Smart registered a breath analysis reading of 0.102 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. She stated she had consumed two glasses of wine between 6pm and 7pm. Ms Smart was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for 6 months.

A driver who was allegedly high on drugs and found with $280,000 cash after police searched his car will face court on Thursday.

Police pulled over a ‘suspicious’ car on the Hume Highway about 40km east of Wagga Wagga in rural New South Wales on Wednesday.

They allegedly found nearly $280, 000 in cash inside the Toyota Hiace, which driven by a 26-year-old man.

A 26-year-old man Cootamundra Highway police pulled over a ‘suspicious’ car on the Hume Highway about 40km east of Wagga Wagga on Wednesday. Police allegedly found nearly $280,000 in cash inside the Toyota Hiace

He was arrested and taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station where he was subjected to a drug test, which allegedly returned a positive indication for methyl amphetamine, or ‘ice’.

The man, from Queensland, was charged with recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime.

The incident has prompted Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol, Assistant Commissioner John Hartley to warn motorists of the consequences of using the road to undertake unlawful activities.

‘Police are out in force, and if you are doing the wrong thing, we will catch up with you,’ Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol, Assistant Commissioner John Hartley said

‘If you think you are going to get away with illegal activity on our roads, you can think again,’ he said.

‘The CATCH program targets vehicles suspected of transporting drugs and other illegal contraband.

‘Police are out in force, and if you are doing the wrong thing, we will catch up with you.’

The 26-year-old was refused bail and will appear in Wagga Wagga Local Court on Thursday.