A man will appear in Newcastle Local Court today charged with multiple drug offences.

Police from Newcastle Local Area Command formed Strike Force Malsbury to investigate the supply of prohibited drugs within the precinct.

Following investigations, police arrested a 33-year-old man at a home in Kyamba Crescent, Maryland, about 10.30am yesterday (Tuesday 30 August 2016).

He was taken to Newcastle Police Station where he was charged with:

• Supply a prohibited drug (eight counts)
• Possess a prohibited drug (eight counts)
• Supply a prohibited drug on an ongoing basis (one count)
• Supply a prohibited drug – indictable quantity (one count).

The man was refused bail overnight before his appearance in Newcastle Local Court today (Wednesday 31 August 2016).

Police are appealing for information following the robbery of a betting facility in Mayfield yesterday.

About 8.10pm (Monday 29 August 2016), a man entered the Maitland Road facility and approached the counter.

He engaged in conversation with an employee before allegedly producing a knife and demanding money from the till.

The male employee handed the man an amount of cash before he ran from the store.

He is described as being aged between 25 and 30, with a medium to stocky build and about 178cm tall.

There were no customers on the premises at the time of the robbery, and police are now appealing for anyone who may have information that could assist.

Detectives from Newcastle City Local Area Command are leading the investigation and can be contacted on (02) 4926 6599.

A state-wide campaign aimed at mobilising members of the public in the fight against ‘ice’ will arrive in Newcastle City Local Area Command (LAC) today.

The ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign has been initiated and funded by the Commonwealth Government, and is currently taking place in States and Territories across Australia.

In NSW, the campaign is being held in 21 LACs across the state, over a six-month period between March and September 2016.

It will run in each LAC for two weeks, during which police and Crime Stoppers will conduct community-engagement activities designed to educate the public on the dangers of illicit drugs and how they can show their support for the campaign.

These activities will also highlight the important role members of the public have in helping police to shut down drug-manufacturing syndicates and arrest drug suppliers.

During the campaign, residents across Newcastle City LAC will be urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the online portal, where they can report drug-dealing activities anonymously.

While members of the public are encouraged to report any prohibited-drug activity via Crime Stoppers, the focus of the ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign is the production, distribution and use of ‘ice’ (crystal methylamphetamine).

A man and a woman have been charged following an alleged aggravated robbery near Newcastle yesterday.

About 5.20pm (Saturday 28 August 2016), a 69-year-old man and 68-year-old woman were at an oval on Olney Street, Awaba, when they saw two people riding dirt bikes on the oval.

Police will allege the 69-year-old man approached the riders and asked them to leave.

The riders, a 31-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, became aggressive and the man on the bike rode towards the older woman, allegedly hitting her and knocking her to the ground.

The older man went to her assistance when the younger man allegedly punched him to the ground and continued to assault him.

It’s alleged the 68-year-old woman was further assaulted by the younger woman, before the riders left with the older man’s mobile phone.

Officers from Lake Macquarie Local Area Command attended and commenced an investigation.

The 69-year-old man and 68-year-old woman were taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment for injuries including cuts, bruising and possible fractures.

Following inquiries, police attended a home on Heaton Street, Awaba, and arrested a 21-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man today (Sunday 28 August 2016),

The pair was taken to Belmont Police Station and charged with two counts of aggravated robbery and inflict actual bodily harm and one count of common assault.

They were granted conditional bail to appear at Belmont Local Court on Tuesday 13 September 2016.

Police will prepare a report for the Coroner after a fatal single-vehicle crash at Mayfield overnight.

About 5.30am (Sunday 28 August 2016), emergency services were called to Industrial Drive near the intersection with the Pacific Highway after reports of a single vehicle crash.

Officers from Newcastle City Local Area Command attended the location.

They located a black Mitsubishi Magna which appears to have travelled to the wrong side of the road struck a pole, flipped onto its roof and then struck a tree.

A woman, apparently the only occupant of the Magna, appears to have been ejected from the vehicle and was found deceased nearby.

Investigators believe that the crash may have occurred some hours prior to the discovery of the vehicle this morning.

They are urging anyone that might have travelled past the intersection with information about the crash to come forward.

One lane has been closed to eastbound traffic on Industrial Road as police investigate the incident.

A man has been charged following a fatal crash north of Newcastle in May.

About 8.45am on Tuesday 10 May 2016, emergency services were called to the New England Highway at Beresfield following reports a Mitsubishi rigid truck, a Hilux utility, a Holden Captiva and a Toyota Rav4 were involved in a collision.

The driver of the utility, a 30-year-old man from Ellalong, suffered multiple injuries and died at the scene.

The driver of the Rav4, a 55-year-old woman from Thornton, was taken to John hunter Hospital with suspected back injuries.

The driver of the truck, a 55-year-old man from Butterwick; and the driver of the Captiva, a 49-year-old woman from Metford, were uninjured and taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

Following investigations by officers attached to Newcastle Crash Investigation Unit, today (Saturday 27 August 2016), a 55-year-old man was issued a Future Court Attendance Notice for dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving occasioning death.

The man will appear at Maitland Local Court on 3 November 2016.

Police investigating a number of tyre slashing incidents across the Newcastle area since May 2016 have now charged a woman following the execution of a search warrant today.

Since May this year police have received 138 reports of tyre slashing in the Mayfield and Tighes Hill areas.

An investigation was launched with officers today (Thursday 25 August 2016) executing a search warrant on a home in Mayfield.

During the search officers allegedly located a small amount of prohibited drugs.

The 44-year-old occupant was arrested and taken to Waratah Police Station where she was interviewed and charged with malicious damage (x8) and possess prohibited drugs (x3).

She was refused bail and will appear in Newcastle Local Court tomorrow (Thursday 25 August 2016).

The malicious damage charges relate to the slashing of tyres.

Further charges of malicious damage pending.

Police are investigating after shots were fired in Muswellbrook overnight.
About 10.30pm on Wednesday 24 August 2016, police responded to reports of shots fired in Anzac Parade, Muswellbrook.

Police from Hunter Valley Local Area Command attended and found damage to a house and a car in the street.

A crime scene was established and examined by specialist forensic officers.

Shortly before 4am today (Thursday 25 August 2016) a 25-year-old man was treated by Ambulance Paramedics for injuries to his back and arm after he was discovered in Brook Street.

The man was taken to John Hunter Hospital, were he remains in a stable condition.

He is currently refusing to assist police with their inquiries.

Police have released CCTV images of a man they wish to speak to in relation to a house fire in Adamstown last month.

About 11.45pm on Thursday 28 July 2016, emergency services were called to a home on Bryant Street following reports of a fire.

There was no one home at the time of the incident and the fire was extinguished. The fire caused minor damage.

Officers from Newcastle Local Area Command are investigating the matter and would like to speak the man depicted in CCTV footage who may be able to assist with their investigation.

He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, with a medium build and aged in his 40s or 50s. The man is also described as having brown hair and brown facial hair, and is shown wearing a green beanie, dark coloured jumper and cargo pants.

Detectives are appealing for information after a young girl was indecently assaulted in the Hunter Region yesterday.

About 1pm (Monday 22 August 2016), police attended George Booth Drive, Stockrington, following reports an 11-year-old girl had been indecently assaulted.

Police were told the girl, who was dressed in a yellow and blue fairytale costume, was walking along George Booth Drive near West Wallsend, about midday, when a man in a car stopped and spoke to her, offering her a lift.

She got in the car and when they were near Richmond Vale, the man stopped the car and indecently assaulted her before she got out of the car and ran away.

A short time later, a passing motorist stopped to render assistance, contacting police and emergency services.

Officers conducted an extensive search of the area for the man; however, he was not located.

Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Child Abuse Squad Newcastle, with assistance from local police, are investigating the incident and are appealing for assistance from the public to identify and locate the man.

He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, with a slim build, short blond hair, a trimmed beard, with a small moustache, and aged in his early 40s.

At the time, he was wearing jeans, a red jacket and reading glasses, and driving a dark red-coloured or maroon 4WD with silver rims.

Investigators are urging anyone who may have been travelling along George Booth Drive at the time, or who has information that may assist, to come forward.

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.