Friday 28 December 2007

Bikie arrested after weapons haul found

as posted on TheWest

A 38-year-old bikie will face court next week after a stash of weapons was allegedly found in his car during a traffic stop.

Gosnells police and the Gang Crime Squad stopped and searched a car with three men on board on Dellar Road in Maddington around 5pm yesterday afternoon.

A search of the Ford Falcon Sedan allegedly revealed a haul of weapons including a set of knuckle dusters, a knife, and a pistol which had been hidden in stubby holders on the floor of the car.

A house in High Wycombe was then searched and police allegedly found a smoking implement and an amount of cannabis.

The bikie will appear in Armadale Magistrates Court on January 2 to face several charges including aggravated possession of an unlicensed firearm, unlawful possession of unlicensed ammunition and possession of a prohibited weapon.

A 29-year-old Cannington man will also be summonsed for possession of a controlled weapon.

BELLE TAYLOR

as posted on TheWest

Wednesday 26 December 2007

Man stabbed after violent Maddington brawl

as posted on TheWest

One man was stabbed and another two suffered head injuries after a violent brawl in Maddington last night.

It is understood the altercation first began when a car parked at an Albany Highway property was smashed earlier in the night.

Police then believe the owners of that house travelled to a Hilton Street home, prompting a retaliation attack on another car.

The residents of the Hilton Street house ran outside before a brawl erupted in the street.

One man, believed to be in his 20s, was stabbed in the abdomen and another two suffered head injuries in the attack.

Cannington detectives, teams from the major incident group and forensic officers spent most of the night at the scene.

Investigators found a knife under one of the damaged cars after they had blocked off Hilton Street to all traffic.

It is understood other weapons, including sticks, were used in the scuffle.

The stabbed man went into surgery last night and was in a stable condition this morning.

YASMINE PHILLIPS and RACHEL DONKIN

as posted on TheWest

Monday 24 December 2007

Toddler left in '70 degree heat': kidsafe

as posted on ABCnews

Kidsafe says a two-year-old girl who died after being left inside a locked car in the Perth suburb of Maddington would have been exposed to temperatures of up to 70 degrees.

The temperature in Perth reached just over 34 degrees yesterday, and Kidsafe Chief Executive Sue Wicks says the temperature in the car would have been much higher.

"Yesterday was probably the first really hot day we've had in quite some time ," she said.

"What happens, when the temperature outside increases, [and] the car is closed up, the temperature inside increases as well. It can be anything up to 30 or 40 degrees [higher] inside the car than outside."

Police says it appears a sibling found the body of the two-year-old girl.

They say it appears the parents returned to their Maddington home yesterday afternoon and left the child in the car before taking another vehicle to pick up their older children in Fremantle.

Police say they realised the child was still in the car when they could not find her in the house.

Inspector Trevor Davis says their attempts to resuscitate the girl failed and she had died by the time paramedics arrived.

as posted on ABCnews

Sunday 23 December 2007

Bashed gran Elizabeth Foster inspired by kids

as posted on PerthNow

WITH just two sleeps until the big day, The Sunday Times and PerthNow bring you some good news for a change - a celebration of some of WA's most inspiring Christmas miracle stories.

BASHED Gosnells grandmother Elizabeth Foster credits her miraculous recovery to the wonderful letters of support she received from a Perth primary school.

When Mrs Foster gets the giggles, she finds it hard to stop.

This week, the Gosnells grandmother met two of the Willandra Primary School students who gave her cause to smile when she needed it most -- as she lay bloodied and bruised in hospital after being bashed in July.

Through months of treatment and rehabilitation, loving letters flooded in from around the state. But it was the kindness of Willandra's Year 7 class that hit a chord.

"What the children wrote was so beautiful. Whenever I felt a little down, I would pick them up or have the nurses read one to me,'' Ms Foster told The Sunday Times.

There were lots of giggles when Ms Foster met Stacey Leeb and Ashlee Bratt this week. She got to thank two of her cheer squad when they dropped in at Ms Foster's son's house in Southern River with teacher Jen Merema.

The Willandra pupils, both 12, were moved to write letters and send paintings after reading about Ms Foster's harrowing assault and seeing the gruesome photos that accompanied reports.

The 79-year-old woke up to find a man at her bed, wielding a weapon. After multiple heavy blows to her head and arms, the intruder fled without a cent.

Ms Foster has never seen the photos of herself that followed. ``I knew how bad I felt, so I didn't need to see how bad I looked,'' she said.

As her skull slowly repaired, and steel inserted into her forearm, the letters were a source of comfort and calm to Ms Foster.

"We just wanted to do anything we could to help her,'' said Stacey.

Teacher Jen Merema beamed as she watched the three chat and share cake on Thursday.

"Elizabeth's story inspired the students in a way you don't see very often,'' she said.

"We have a big focus in the classroom on principles such as courage, tolerance, bravery and kindness and I guess the kids recognised these in Elizabeth.

"But it was the reply they received from Elizabeth that gave them a real kick.''

Despite the steel in her arm and the loss of sight in one eye, Ms Foster wrote back to the class as soon as she could.

"To the wonderful children of Year 7 who sent me so many beautiful drawings and lovely, kind thoughts,'' she wrote.

"I have been home only for a few weeks after more than 3 months in hospital. I have only now been able to read all the cards.

"I thank you, and if I could, I would like to visit your school ... at present it is not possible.

"If I feel a little bit sad, I only have to look at your cards and it truly makes me feel better.

"My writing is not very good because of my injuries. I make a new goal for myself every day and feel good about it when I can achieve it!''

Ms Merema said the children were in awe at the determination Ms Foster had shown through her ordeal.

"It was a good lesson in empathy and fairness for them,'' she said. "The kids knew it was horribly unfair for such a dignified lady to be treated so cruelly.''

Ms Foster is not bitter. "I don't hate the man that did this. I don't really feel anything for him, though I did have a couple of nightmares,'' she said.

"The sad thing is, he could have just asked me for the money and I would have given it to him, but he didn't give me that chance.''

Ms Foster will never drive again, and lives with her family while she tries to sell the Gosnells unit in which she was attacked.

She has been invited to visit Willandra Primary School in the new year. Elizabeth Foster has a lot to teach about courage and grace.

as posted on PerthNow

Day one ..

the following reply was given ...

Thankyou for your enquiry. Council meetings are conducted under the provisions of the City of Gosnells Standing Orders Local Law 2003, a co...