Police investigating a number of alleged historical child sexual assault offences have charged a former teacher in the state’s south today.

Strike Force Cornet was established by Wagga Wagga detectives to investigate a number of incidents alleged to have occurred between 1964 and 1992 at a high school in Junee.

About 8.30am (Tuesday 12 September 2016), officers attended a home in Junee and arrested an 81-year-old man, who was a teacher at the high school between 1964 and 1992.

The man was taken to Junee Police Station where he was charged with three counts of buggery. These offences relate to the sexual assault of a 12-year-old male student over a five year period.

He was granted conditional bail to appear at Wagga Wagga local court on Wednesday 19 October 2016.

Detectives are continuing with inquiries.

Police are urging anyone with information, including former students and teachers who may have been witness to or were in fact a victim of sexual assault to come forward and contact Wagga Wagga Police Station on 02 6922 2599 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Traffic & Highway Patrol Officers from the Riverina have issued a defect notice to a truck driver after they discovered his truck contravened legal speed limits.

About 1am today (Monday 12 September 2016), officers stopped a Victorian-registered heavy vehicle on the Hume Highway, Tumblong after detecting it travelling at a speed of 126km/h.

Officers issued a defect notice for class B exceeding special speed limit of $568 and vehicle not speed limiter compliant of $2238. The truck grounded until Roads and Maritime Services complete their inspection of the vehicle.

The driver, a 46-year-old man from Victoria, was subject to a blood and urine test and the results are pending.

Highway Patrol officers have detected a man allegedly speeding whilst travelling to a funeral at Tarcutta last night, NSW Police say.

About 10:30pm on Thursday 8 September 2016, Traffic & HWP Command Officers from Gundagai were patrolling the Hume Highway at Tarcutta when they were alerted to a vehicle travelling at high speed by truck drivers.

A short time later police detected a Mazda 6 sedan, hearing north, at high speed. A check of the vehicles speed on radar showed 169kph. A short time later police intercepted the vehicle and spoke to the driver and passenger, both 20-year-old males from Victoria.

The driver was found to have a Victorian provisional drivers licence, and was also found to be in possession of an expired NSW provisional licence.

As a result the driver was issued an infringement notice for driving more than 45kph over the speed limit, ($2350), driving in the right hand lane with the speed limit over 80kph ($325), and not complying with licence conditions – not displaying P Plates ($253).

As the driver was also the registered owner of the vehicle he was issued with a confiscation notice, and the vehicle was towed to Wagga Wagga where it was impounded for the statutory period of three months. His driver’s licence was also suspended in NSW for six months. Police later transported the driver and his passenger to Wagga Wagga to arrange alternative transport.

Acting Assistant Commissioner David Driver of the state’s Traffic & Highway Patrol Command said that with the road toll currently at 274, 37 more than this time last year, drivers needed to take control of their behaviour on NSW roads.

“With this driver and his passenger travelling to a funeral and given their high speed, any crash would have potentially resulted in friends and family attending their funeral also.”

“We know that speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing a seat belt or proper helmet, driving fatigued or distracted are all risks in fatal crashes on our roads.

“Whilst this driver has learnt a costly lesson, and will be without a vehicle and licence, at least he gets to go home. Sadly, many don’t,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Driver said.

Another Australia Post truck carrying parcels in transit has caught fire on the Hume Highway, destroying its contents.

The truck was near Woomargama, about 50 kilometres north-east of Albury when the driver of the truck noticed smoke on Friday morning.

Flames were seen spreading through the trailer on the side of the northbound lanes after it caught fire about 5am.

Rural Fire Service Superintendent Patrick Westwood said it took six fire trucks and about 25 firefighters to put out the blaze.

He told the Border Mail, a blown tyre may have contributed to causing the fire.

“It started a small grass fire next to the truck as well, but both were controlled and in hand by 6am,” he said

“I do believe the trailer had postage items in it … there was very little salvageable.”

The driver pulled over and tried to put out the fire, but it quickly became “far too dangerous”, and the trailer was destroyed, the mail service said in a statement.

“Fortunately and most importantly, nobody was hurt,” it read.

The driver managed to disconnect the trailer from his prime mover and was cleared of any injuries after being examined by paramedics.

Authorities created a makeshift lane to allow traffic to continue at a slowed speed until the truck was recovered about 10.50am.

It comes after another Australia Post truck was destroyed by fire on the same highway in April last year.

It took four Rural Fire Service trucks to extinguish the blaze at the time, which resulted in a large amount of letters being destroyed that were on their way from Sydney to Melbourne.

Australia Post said it would start sorting through the parcels damaged in the latest fire when it is safe to do so, and would use machine scanning data to help contact the senders.

Customers who posted parcels in Victoria on Wednesday 7 or Thursday 8 September for New South Wales or Queensland are advised to contact Australia Post on 13 13 18 from Monday for further information.

Australia Post issued an apology to affected customers.

Police from Wagga Wagga Local Area Command (LAC) have thanked the community for their ongoing support during the recent ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign.

The Commonwealth-funded campaign is currently being conducted in States and Territories across Australia.

While members of the public are urged to report any prohibited-drug activity via Crime Stoppers; ‘Dob in a Dealer’ is targeting the manufacture, supply and use of ‘ice’ (crystal methylamphetamine) in the community.

‘Dob in a Dealer’ was promoted across Wagga Wagga Local Area Command between Monday 1 August 2016 and Sunday 14 August 2016.

Police and Crime Stoppers conducted intensive community-engagement activities at locations across the command, encouraging members of the public to report information about prohibited drugs.

Over the course of the campaign and in the weeks that followed, Crime Stoppers received a number of Information Reports from the community relating to possible drug activity in the local area.

Wagga Wagga Local Area Commander, Superintendent Bob Noble, thanked the community for getting behind the ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign.

“During the campaign we received 23 Information Reports via Crime Stoppers about suspected drug activity across our command, all of which will now undergo further investigation,” Supt Noble said.

“This campaign was about reaching out to members of the public to enable a whole-of-community approach in effectively tackling the scourge of ‘ice’.

“That’s why it was so positive to see the information getting through to people and the calls coming in with valuable intelligence, and I thank each and every person for making that effort,” Supt Noble said.

“We will continue to do everything we can do reduce the availability of ‘ice’ and minimise the harm it can cause to our community, but we cannot do this alone.

“Never underestimate the important role you can play in helping us track down and arrest those involved in manufacturing and distributing ‘ice’ across our neighbourhoods – your phone call could make an enormous difference.”

Crime Stoppers NSW CEO, Peter Price, said people who live and work within Wagga Wagga Local Area Command can still report information confidentially and anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestoppers.com.au.

“While the campaign has come to a close in Wagga Wagga LAC, the issue of illegal drugs has not – and we urge the community to continue reporting drug-dealing or drug-manufacturing activity to Crime Stoppers,” Mr Price said.

“We’re calling on members of the public to step up and stamp out ‘ice’ in their community – together we can affect real change.

“Calls made to Crime Stoppers are directed to a state-wide call centre and they’re completely confidential. You do not have to identify yourself and you will not be compelled to participate for a court case,” Mr Price said.

“Most importantly, every piece of information you provide can help solve crimes and reduce drug supply – so if you know something, say something.”

In NSW, the ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign is being held in 21 metropolitan and regional LACs over a six-month period between March and September 2016.

The campaign runs in each command for two weeks, during which local officers and Crime Stoppers representatives host a number of activities to inform local residents of how they can take part and show their support.

A man has been charged with alleged drug and firearm offences in southern NSW yesterday.

About 12.45pm (Monday 5 September 2016), police attached to Albury Local Area Command attended a home on Watson Street, Glenroy, and searched the property.

During the search, they allegedly located and seized a 12 gauge shotgun, ammunition, cannabis leaf, cannabis resin and cash.

Shortly before the search, a 28-year-old man had a Firearms Prohibition Order and Weapons Prohibition Order served on him.

He was arrested and taken to Albury Police Station where he was charged with eight offences, including:

– Possess unregistered firearm- prohibited firearm

– Possess ammunition without holding licence

– Not keep firearm safe

– Acquire firearm without holding a licence

– Possess unauthorised prohibited firearm

– Possess prohibited drug (x2), and

– Deal with the proceeds of crime.

The man has been refused bail to appear at Albury Local Court today (Tuesday 6 September 2016).

A man has been charged after allegedly speeding more than 100km/h over the speed limit near Gundagai yesterday.

Just before 5pm (Sunday 4 September 2016), Traffic and Highway Patrol officers detected a gold Suzuki GSX 1300 motorcycle with Victorian number plates allegedly travelling 174km/h in a 110km/h zone on the Hume Highway at Tumblong.

Police attempted to stop the rider; however, it’s alleged he failed to stop and reached speeds of up to 214km/h.

The pursuit ended at Snow Ball Creek, when the rider stopped and spoke to police.

The rider, a 32-year-old man, was charged with drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous and exceed speed more than 45 km/h.

His motorcycle has been confiscated for three months and rider’s licence suspended, and he will appear at Gundagai Local Court on 14 October 2016.

Police are appealing for information into the whereabouts of a man wanted on an outstanding warrant.

Mathew Furner, aged 25, is wanted by virtue of a revocation of parole warrant.

Police continue to make inquiries and are appealing for assistance from the community to locate him.
Mathew Furner is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 170cm to 175cm tall with fair skin. He has short brown hair and brown eyes.
If anyone knows his current whereabouts, they are urged not to approach him as he may be armed, but to contact police via Triple Zero (000) or Crime Stoppers.

Yass Highway Patrol has charged a 30-year-old Cootamundra man with speeding on Murrumbateman Road while on bail conditions not to be seated in the driver’s seat of a car.

Police allege the man was travelling 86km/h in a 70km/h zone on Murrumbateman Road at 6pm on Friday, August 26.

Checks revealed his licence had been disqualified and he was subject to the bail condition not to be seated in the driver’s seat of a car. The man was arrested and refused bail.

He appeared in Goulburn Court on Sunday.
MAN CHARGED WITH EXPOSING HIMSELF WHILE DRIVING

A 30-year-old Boorowa man has been charged with a number of charges after he allegedly exposed himself to a woman while driving along the Hume Highway.

A female driver reported to police that a man exposed himself to her a number of times while driving on the highway near Bowning on Thursday, August 25.

Police investigated and charged the man with a number of charges including negligent driving and willful and obscene exposure. He will answer the charges in Yass Local Court.
DISQUALIFIED MOTORIST CAUGHT SPEEDING

A disqualified motorcyclist was caught allegedly travelling 120km/h over the speed limit near Canberra on Sunday.

Just after 9am, police from Queanbeyan Traffic and Highway Patrol were conducting speed enforcement duties on the Federal Highway at Brooks Creek near Bywong, when they detected a blue Honda 900cc motorcycle allegedly travelling 148km/h in a 110km/h zone.

Police activated lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the motorcycle. It will be alleged the rider reached speeds of 230km/h; however, no pursuit was initiated due to safety concerns.The rider did not stop and continued towards Canberra.

Following inquiries, police attended a home in Googong and spoke to a 43-year-old man. Further checks revealed his Learner’s licence was disqualified until January 2017.