A nurse has tested positive for coronavirus at a Rockhampton aged care home forcing it into lockdown as authorities try to figure out who she has been in contact with. The worker was infectious since about May 3 and kept working at the North Rockhampton Nursing Centre despite having mild respiratory symptoms. The state-run facility has 115 beds and 180 staff. Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said it was believed the nurse contracted the virus in Brisbane, before travelling home to Rockhampton.
May 18, 2020
Two men have been jailed for stealing a Blue Care van and taking it for a joy ride across the Sunshine Coast with a “confused” dementia patient on-board. Crown prosecutor Alex Stark told a court Dean Robert Richards, 24, and Jarred Taylor Strafford, 21, were trying to evade police during a crime spree on June 18, 2019 when they spotted the Blue Care van pulled over on Hinkler Pde at Maroochydore. Mr Stark said Strafford kicked the bus driver in the chest before Richards took the wheel leading police on a 70km chase across the Coast. A 76-year-old dementia patient was in the back of the bus during the joy ride. Stingers were deployed twice as Richards wove in and out of traffic, through school zones, from Maroochydore to Caloundra and back via Nambour. Eventually the van hit a gutter and the men were surrounded by police vehicles before they were arrested. The elderly man, from Frenchville, was not injured. At Maroochydore District Court today, Richards pleaded guilty to 22 charges including dangerously operating a motor vehicle and deprivation of liberty – detain/confine. Strafford pleaded to three charges including common assault, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and deprivation of liberty – detain/confine. Both men had previously served jail time for crimes involving dishonesty with Mr Stark calling them “recidivist offenders”. “Let’s pray, aye,” Strafford said to Richards via video link as they waited for judge Glen Cash to enter the courtroom. Defence barrister Simon Lewis highlighted Strafford’s young age and said his client had struggled with a drug addiction which he was getting help for. He said the men didn’t know the 76-year-old was on the bus and they had tried to get him off during the ordeal but he was “confused”. A medical letter tendered to the court said the elderly man had little recollection of the joy ride. Defence barrister James Feely said Richards was remorseful for his actions and had received treatment for mental health issues while remanded in custody. Mr Cash considered both men had “concerning criminal history. He sentenced Strafford to 12 months’ imprisonment with parole eligibility in two months. Richards was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment with parole eligibility on May 15 next year. He was disqualified from driving for two years.
May 18, 2020
A machete wielding man who allegedly raped a remote area nurse who was out walking her dogs before threatening to “cut your head off” will face justice in the Supreme Court. The 31-year-old, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, appeared in the Darwin Local Court for a committal proceeding charged with raping the 57-year-old woman in a remote community in January this year. Court documents reveal the woman left home for her regular morning walk around 6.30am on January 10 while unbeknown to her, the man allegedly “lay in the dense bush prying on the victim”. After confirming the woman was alone, prosecutors allege the man “leapt from the bush” armed with a machete and grabbed her, holding the knife up towards her and saying “I want a bit of you”. “The victim, in an attempt to calm the situation, said to the defendant ‘Hey mate, what are you doing? I’m an old nurse, I looked after (a local elder)’,” the documents read. “The defendant approached the victim and put the flat edge of the knife up to her neck before saying ‘I’m going to get that’.” The man then allegedly pushed her to the ground and raped her while she pleaded with him not to hurt her before he stood up, pointed the machete at her and said “You tell anyone and I will cut your head off”. The man has not entered a plea and will face the Supreme Court for a criminal call over on June 18.
May 18, 2020
Bolton Clarke is int he frame over a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) before Fair Work Commissioner Simpson in chambers in Brisbane (Kuskey).
May 15, 2020
A man charged with the attempted murder of an 84-year-old woman in a North Turramurra nursing home last November was allegedly targeting the elderly in a spree of robberies, according to court papers. Peter Thai Vinh Phu Bui, 43, of Orange has been charged with 12 offences including attempted murder, two counts of aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence as well specially aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence. He was also charged with four counts of deal with property proceeds of crime, two counts of break and enter house steal value, break and enter house destroy property and aggravated enter dwelling with intent. On Wednesday, the matter was adjourned at Hornsby Local Court until June 25. Details from the court documents allege that Bui broke into Patricia Maton’s unit on November 16 at the Huon Retirement Village and stole two gold rings before strangling her. The woman had only moved into the nursing home six weeks prior.
May 15, 2020
The community of Wondai has been left shell-shocked after police revealed a local aged care worker has been charged with stealing from vulnerable people in her care. As a result of the investigation, a 55-year-old female aged care worker from Wondai has been charged with five stealing offences from a vulnerable person in their care. A south west police service spokesman said it would be alleged on five separate occasions the care worker stole money from a vulnerable person while providing care to them in their home. “The Wondai woman will appear in the Murgon Magistrates Court on August 4, in relation to these matters,” he said.
May 15, 2020
St Basil’s Homes is facing a s.365 (Application to deal with contraventions involving dismissal) in front of Commissioner Yilmaz (by telephone) in Melbourne (Han).
May 15, 2020
Endeavour Foundation will defend a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) today at 1pm before Commissioner Hunt in chambers in Brisbane (Silvester).
