Police are appealing for public assistance after a suspicious fire in Sydney’s north last month.

About 10.40am on Saturday 21 May 2016, emergency services were called to Wyong Road, Lambton, following reports of a fire at a business.

On arrival officers from Newcastle City Local Area Command located the premises well alight.

Officers from Fire & Rescue NSW attended and extinguished the blaze, which caused significant damage to the building.

While the cause of the fire is not known, initial investigations suggest it may be suspicious.

Police would like to speak to three males who may be able to assist with enquiries.

The trio is described as being of Caucasian appearance and aged between 10 and 12 years old.

One of the males has ginger coloured hair and was wearing a green t-shirt.

The second male was seen wearing a white t-shirt, black pants and a baseball cap.

The third male has brown hair and was seen wearing a white shirt and shorts.

Detectives from Newcastle City Local Area Command are investigating the incident and appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward, specifically to anyone who may have witnessed the fire.

Police have charged a man after an alleged pursuit in Newcastle yesterday.

Just after 2pm (Thursday 2 June 2016), officers attached to Newcastle City Local Area Command attempted to stop a Honda Jazz travelling along Sandgate Road, Shortland.

Police will allege the driver failed to stop, and a short pursuit ensued.

As the vehicle continued along Minmi Road, Wallsend, the driver proceeded through a red light and collided with another vehicle.

The driver, a 27-year-old man, and the passenger, an 18-year-old woman, fled the scene and a short foot pursuit ensued.
Police arrested the pair, and it will be alleged the man spat on one of the officers.

Upon searching the vehicle, police located a firearm and drugs, believed to be methyl-amphetamine.

The man was taken to Newcastle Police Station, where he was charged with police pursuit (not stop/drive dangerously), drive whilst disqualified, resist and assault police, possess shortened firearm, not keep firearm safely, possess unregistered firearm.

He was refused bail, to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Friday 3 June 2016).

The 18-year-old woman assisted police with inquiries and was released a short time later.

Diversions are in place after a truck rollover and fire on the M1.

Just before 2am, emergency services were called to the M1 southbound at Freemans Waterhole after a semi-trailer carrying treated pine slabs hit failed to negotiate a left hand bend and rolled, before catching alight.

The 59-year-old male driver was able to escape with minor injuries to his chest and was conveyed to John Hunter Hospital.

Road closures were implemented and the southbound lanes are closed at the Palmers Road Interchange. The diversions are expected to be in place for sometime while the scene is cleared.

Traffic diversions are currently in place and live traffic information is available at www.livetraffic.com.

A man has been charged with animal cruelty after a cat was seriously injured in the state’s Hunter region earlier this month.

On Friday 6 May 2016, a boy saw a man allegedly swinging a cat by her tail and hitting her against a trailer.

The boy, who is the man’s neighbour, called out to him before alerting his mother. They believed the cat was deceased.

The cat had given birth to a litter of kittens at the boy’s home the previous day.

The following day the cat returned to her litter and was taken to an animal rescue group with serious injuries, including a broken spine and legs.

The rescue group raised funds for the cat and organised veterinary treatment.

The matter was reported to police and officers from Central Hunter Local Area Command commenced an investigation.

Following inquiries, police attended a house on Cessnock Road and arrested a man.

The 58-year-old was taken to Maitland Police Station where he was charged with torture, beat and seriously injure an animal.

He will appear at Kurri Kurri Local Court on 30 June 2016.

The cat and her kittens remain in the care of the animal rescue group.