Police are appealing for public assistance after shots were fired at a house in Ganmain, 45km north-west of Wagga Wagga, today.

About 5am (Friday 29 April 2016), the residents of a home on Ford Street, Ganmain discovered two bullet holes in a wall and a fly screen of the property. It is believed the shots were fired overnight.

A man and woman, as well as their four children were at home at the time, but were uninjured.

Police from Wagga Wagga Local Area Command attended and established a crime scene, which was examined by forensic specialists.

Police are appealing for anyone with information on the incident to come forward.

One hundred and nine (109) new police recruits will take their oath of office at an attestation ceremony in Goulburn today (Friday 29 April 2016).

Today’s ceremony will be hosted by NSW Police Force Commissioner Andrew Scipione APM. He will be joined by Reviewing Officer – His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d), Governor of New South Wales – and special guest, Deputy Premier and Minister for Justice and Police, Troy Grant.

The new probationary constables from Class 327 come from diverse backgrounds.

Several of the recruits are from a non-English speaking background, while a number were born overseas in countries including South Korea, Wales, Belgium, Brazil, Lebanon and India.

Six of the probationary constables identify as being from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background.

The youngest probationary constable from this attesting class is 20 years old, while the oldest is aged 51.

For some, it is their first career; others left established professional careers and trades to join the NSW Police Force.

Commissioner Scipione will officially welcome the 80 new policemen and 29 policewomen at today’s attestation ceremony.

“As I look to the future of policing in NSW, I am confident the officers joining our ranks today will bring the vigour, enthusiasm and diversity,” Commissioner Scipione said.

“In return for their dedicated and ethical service, these new officers can expect experiences and memories that make policing more than just a career.

“To all the students attesting today, I extend my best wishes for their policing futures,” Commissioner Scipione said.

The probationary constables from Class 327 will begin work in their local area commands from next Monday (2 May 2016).

They will then complete 12 months’ on-the-job training and study by distance education with Charles Sturt University before they officially graduate with an Associate Degree in Policing Practice, and be confirmed in the rank of constable.

FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT CLASS 327

• A total of 109 new recruits will be sworn in today.

• The class comprises 80 policemen and 29 policewomen.

• Of the probationary constables who will attest today, 97 were born in Australia and 12 were born overseas. Their countries of origin include the United Kingdom, Wales, Belgium, Brazil, India, Lebanon, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Korea.

• Among those attesting today, six probationary constables identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island background.

• The youngest recruit is aged 20 and the oldest is 51. Other age statistics:

1 is aged 18-20

47 are aged 21-25

27 are aged 26-30

13 are aged 31-35

9 are aged 36-40

A nostalgic rumble echoed through Victorian towns long bypassed from Highway 31 when 235 classic trucks crawled the old Hume.

Trucks dating back to the 1920s were among the 235 vehicles registered for the Crawlin’ the Hume classic truck run from Melbourne to Albury on April 16.

The oldest truck to travel the Victorian section of the old Hume Highway was Brian Smith’s 1923 T Model Ford.

Powerful rigs from the 1970s and 1980s also delighted crowds along the way.

David Connor felt privileged to drive Canny Carrying Co’s 1956 International AS 160 on the run. In February the International took part in the funeral procession of Wangaratta trucking legend, Brian Canny, who had driven the AS 160 on the Hume in the 1950s and 1960s. The International’s restoration was completed early this year and Brian was shown the finished project only a week before he passed away.

Many beautifully restored Internationals took part, including Graham Wright’s 1965 AB 184D with a 1965 McGrath trailer.

Dodges, Fords, Kenworths, Macks, Whites, Peterbilts, Volvos, Mercedes, Atkinsons, Reos, Bedfords, Commers, Chevrolets, Diamond Ts, Austins, Studebakers and Fodens were all represented.

Hundreds of people took the opportunity to see the trucks up-close when they stopped for lunch at Winton Motor Raceway.

The run finished at Albury Racing Club where Arch McLeish’s stories from his days as a transport operator entertained 280 people attending the dinner.

Crawlin’ the Hume was organised by Rob French, Roger Marchetti and Trevor Davis with assistance from volunteers who helped on the day. It will be held again in 2018.

Meanwhile Bruce Gunter and his Haulin’ the Hume committee are organising a similar event between Sydney and Yass on April 1 and 2, 2017.

POETRY•PROSE•PLACE

The next Poetry•Prose•Place workshop facilitated by published poet Lizz Murphy, will be held from 10.30 am-4.00 pm at the Black Swan Gallery, Burley Griffin Way (Stephens Street), Binalong on Sunday, May 1. The workshop includes writing exercises on the theme of ‘place,’ to get you writing or/and improving your skills. Aspiring, new and developing writers all welcome. Cost: $20/$10 concession. Light lunches available (book with Lizz).

ECOPOETRY

A half-day (1.00-4.00 pm) workshop on Ecopoetry will be held in the Yass Community Centre on Sunday May 15 and repeated at the Black Swan Gallery, Binalong on Sunday May 22. Cost: $10/$5 concession.

BOOKINGS

Please contact Lizz Murphy, Coordinator and workshop facilitator on lizzmurphy7@gmail.com or 0428 005641 for more information and to enrol. (Pay on the day.)

Lizz Murphy has published twelve books and is a popular workshop facilitator with over twenty years experience.

Poetry•Prose•Place is supported by Arts NSW’s Country Arts Support Program, a devolved funding program administered by Regional Arts NSW and local Regional Arts Boards on behalf of the NSW Government.

A Queensland man who led a police helicopter on a high speed chase along the Hume Highway was only apprehended when he ran out of fuel, NSW Police say.

Jamie Christopher Hooper, 26, is accused of leading police on a dangerous pursuit for more than 100 kilometres at speeds up to 230 kilometres per hour on Tuesday, in a chase likened by police to “something out of a movie”.

Mr Hooper, of Balmoral St in Hawthorne, Queensland was refused bail when he appeared in Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday, the Goulburn Post reports.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Ben Lee told the court the “wild pursuit” was “like something out of a movie” and “a chaotic sequence of events that could have easily caused death or injury to multiple people,” with many police involved, including the Polair helicopter.

In opposing Hooper’s bail application, Sgt Lee said he feared for the community if Hooper were released.

Police facts tendered in court said the pursuit began on Tuesday when a Queensland-registered Holden Commodore allegedly driven by Hooper didn’t stop for a random breath-test in Dixon St, Parramatta about 1.10pm.

Police gave chase along Boundary St, but the pursuit was later terminated on the Great Western Highway at Westmead.

Then, about 1.50pm, the Commodore was spotted again, this time on the Cumberland Highway at Liverpool, and a second pursuit began, travelling through a number of streets in Liverpool before heading out onto the Hume Highway.

The car ran out of petrol about 70km south at the Colo Vale off-ramp. Hooper ran into nearby bushland, where he was apprehended, taken to Bowral Police Station and charged.

“It is alleged the car driven by the defendant reached speeds of up to 230 km/h through suburban streets in Liverpool, running stop signs during the school holidays,” Sgt Lee said.

“He allegedly showed complete and utter disregard for any consequences to members of the public who were also using the roadway at the time.

“He was also allegedly sticking his arm out the window and giving the finger to police while driving as well as weaving in and out of traffic on the highway and also driving into the breakdown lane to overtake other vehicles.”

In court, Hooper was handcuffed and surrounded by four correctional officers. He wore shorts and a singlet that exposed arm tattoos, and his right knee was bandaged.

In applying for bail, Hooper’s solicitor said her client told her he was not driving the car at the time.

“He told me that he was not the driver of the vehicle,” the solicitor said.

During proceedings, Hooper interjected from the dock, yelling: “That is all wrong”, “I want to represent myself”, and “I was not arrested in the bush, I was arrested on the road”.

Magistrate Geraldine Beattie told Hooper to be quiet, then refused his bail application.

“There is a strong prosecution case and a jail sentence is inevitable if you are convicted,” she said.

“You said you were not the driver of the vehicle, but there were significant tattoos on the arm of the driver in the police facts.

“You were on bail at the time of the pursuit for a violent assault at Tweed Heads.

“You have shown a lack of remorse and I have no confidence that you will comply with bail conditions if I release you today.”

Mr Hooper did not enter pleas to any of the five charges laid including: not stopping under police pursuit; dangerous driving; exceeding the speed limit by 45 km/h; not displaying authorised number plates; and not obeying police directions.

The matter has been adjourned to May 2 to coincide with other breach of bail matters in Tweed Heads Local Court by audio-visual link.

Police are appealing for public assistance as they investigate the sexual assault of a woman at a location between Yass and Campbelltown last weekend.

About 10.10pm on Sunday 17 April 2016, a 44-year-old woman drove a white dual-cab utility with Qld registration plates and towing a horse float, to a service station at Yass.

About two hours later, the woman left the service station and continued to drive along the Hume Highway towards Sydney, when she stopped at a rest stop and entered a toilet block.

Police have been told two men pushed the woman to the ground and sexually assaulted her, before fleeing the scene.

The woman drove to her home on the state’s Central Coast, and contacted police.

She suffered cuts and bruises and was treated for her injuries.

Officers attached to Brisbane Water Local Area Command attended and commenced investigating the incident.

It’s believed there may have been two semi-trailers parked at the rest stop at the time of the incident.

The men involved are only described as having Australian accents and smelling of body odour.

As inquiries continue, police are appealing for any witnesses, or anyone with information, to contact Crime Stoppers.

Police are investigating following reports of a single vehicle truck accident in the state’s Riverina area this morning.

Shortly after 6am, (Thursday 21 April 2016), emergency services were called to Yenches Road, Lankeys Creek (approx 36km south east of Holbrook) after reports a truck had veered off the road and into surrounding bushland.

A man, believed to be in his late 20’s, was treated by NSW Ambulance Paramedics, but died at the scene.

Officers attached to Albury Local Area Command have established a crime scene and are currently conducting an investigation.

Police have charged five people over alleged drug and weapon-related offences following a two-month investigation in Albury.

Strike Force Hurford, comprising officers from Albury Local Area Command, was established in February this year to investigate the alleged supply of prohibited drugs in Corowa and surrounding suburbs.

Investigations revealed an unknown person was supplying methylamphetamine (‘ice’), MDMA and cannabis within the local area.

Following inquiries, police executed search warrants at two Corowa properties on Henry Street and Honor Avenue yesterday (Tuesday 19 April 2016).

While searching the properties, police located and seized amounts of ice, MDMA and cannabis, as well as cash, a crossbow and tasers.

All items were seized from the two homes and will undergo further forensic examination.

Five people were arrested during the search warrants and have since been charged.

A 24-year-old man was charged with supply large commercial quantity of prohibited drug.

A 28-year-old woman and 23-year-old man were charged with supply prohibited drug.

A second 23-year-old man was charged with possess prohibited weapon.

They were all refused bail to appear before Albury Local Court today (Wednesday 20 April 2016).

A fifth person, a 25-year-old woman, was issued a Field Court Attendance Notice for possessing a prohibited weapon and is due to appear before Albury Local Court on Tuesday 10 May 2016.

Investigations into the matter are continuing.

A man has been charged following investigations into a bus crash that left three people with serious injuries in the Southern Tablelands last year.

Shortly after 10am on Saturday 21 November 2016, a bus carrying 57 passengers rolled onto its side on Sandy Point Road, Windellama, about 50km south-east of Goulburn.

Police from The Hume Local Area Command, Fire & Rescue NSW, Rural Fire Service (RFS), and Ambulance Service of NSW attended the scene.

Two passengers were airlifted to Canberra Hospital, another was airlifted to Liverpool Hospital, and nine passengers were taken by road to Goulburn Base Hospital.

The 64-year-old male driver was treated at the scene and taken to Goulburn Base Hospital for mandatory testing.

Specialist investigators from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit, assisted by The Hume Detectives, attended the scene and commenced an investigation.

As a result of their inquiries, the driver was issued a Future Court Attendance Notice for three counts of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, and negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.

His licence has also been suspended.

He is due to appear in Goulburn Local Court on Tuesday 31 May 2016.

Inquiries are continuing.

A man has been charged following a fatal crash near Yass yesterday.

Shortly after 8.15am (Monday 18 April 2016), emergency services were called to Lachlan Valley Way at Boorowa, 40km north of Yass, after the driver of a white utility was struck by a piece of equipment falling from another vehicle.

The 23-year-old man driving the utility died at the scene. A 34-year-old woman who was a passenger was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Both are from Boorowa.

The driver of the other vehicle, a 28-year-old man, was taken to Boorowa Hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing.

The man, from Bankstown, has now been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death/drive manner dangerous, and negligent driving (occasioning death).

The man is due to appear in Yass Local Court on Thursday 12 May 2016.

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.