I thought Google was an American company?
I thought Google was an American company?
Sydney coronavirus toilet paper stoush: mother and daughter found guilty
Meriam Bebawy took the law into her own hands after another shopper grabbed a packet of toilet paper from her trolley at Woolworths, a magistrate has found.
A Sydney magistrate has likened a coronavirus-fuelled stoush over toilet paper to a rugby league bust-up as he found a mother and daughter guilty of affray.
Health worker Meriam Bebawy, 23, and her daycare operator mother, Treiza Bebawy, 61, have been sentenced over an altercation with another woman at a Woolworths store in Chullora on 7 March.
Footage of the incident went viral on social media in March amid widespread panic buying of toilet paper.
The video showed the Bebawys yelling and fighting with fellow shopper Tracey Hinckson who had grabbed one of eight 36-roll toilet paper packs from their trolley.
“The first interaction between her [Hinckson] and Meriam occasioned Treiza to join the fray,” Bankstown magistrate Peter Bugden said on Monday.
“All of the civilian witnesses and staff recalled screaming people. It’s a classic affray.”
Recalling an incident involving former rugby league player turned super coach Jack Gibson, Bugden explained why Meriam bore ultimate responsibility for the altercation.
“What Meriam Bebawy did was to take the law into her own hands,” the magistrate said.
“I’m reminded of an analogy from rugby league ... these days, it’s the second man into the fight that gets the penalty for prolonging it.
“Rugby league authorities have known that for some time.
“Jack Gibson said he didn’t have time to have a management meeting out there. He took the action he did.”
In her police interview, Meriam Bebawy suggested Woolworths staff “ganged up” on them and said they were “selfish”.
The magistrate explained the toilet paper wasn’t the property of the Bebawys until they paid for it.
While noting the “unpleasantness” of up to 40 shoppers bolting into the store in search of toilet paper, Bugden said Meriam’s “natural reaction” to rapidly chase after Hinckson led to the confrontation.
“Meriam Bebawy and Treiza Bebawy acted in a way that caused the affray to take place,” he said.
Neither was in court on Monday as each was placed on a one-year conditional release order – a type of good behaviour bond.
Treiza Bebawy, who runs a local family daycare centre, was not convicted.
Both women have lodged appeals which are expected to be heard on 14 August.
Sydney coronavirus toilet paper stoush: mother and daughter found guilty | Sydney | The Guardian
^
in fairness if you look at the sizes of their arses, it was an essential purchase
Chinese students in Australia targeted in virtual kidnapping scam
Chinese students in Sydney are being targeted in a kidnapping scam forcing them to pay massive ransoms to fraudsters, Australian police say.
In many cases, blackmailed students were forced to stage their own kidnapping and send video proof to relatives in China to obtain funds.
Eight "virtual kidnappings" have been reported this year, including one where a A$2m (£1.1m;$1.43m) ransom was paid.
Victims had believed they or their loved ones were in danger, police said.
New South Wales (NSW) Police said the scheme had "really increased in frequency throughout 2020" and was operating on an "industrial scale".
They have urged students to immediately report any threatening calls they receive.
How does the scam work?
Authorities said the "call centre-type" scam was being operated offshore, which made it difficult to track.
It typically involves a fraudster pretending to be from the Chinese embassy or another authority, ringing victims and informing them that they have been implicated in a crime in China or are facing some other threat.
China warns students about 'risks' in Australia
Students 'staying put' during pandemic
The scammers, who usually speak Mandarin, then demand the student pay ongoing fees in order to avoid arrest or deportation.
In some cases, the students are also convinced to cease contact with their family and friends, rent a hotel room and fake a hostage situation to obtain funds from their relatives overseas.
In one case, a father had already paid more than A$2m (£1.1m; $1.43m) in ransom payments, before receiving a video of his daughter gagged and bound in an unknown location.
Image copyright NSW POLICE
Image caption Police in Sydney have received reports about eight such cases this year
He then contacted police in Sydney who, after an hour's search, found the woman safe and well at a hotel room in the city.
In other cases reported to police this year, payments ranged from A$20,000 to A$300,000.
"On some occasions, [families] have basically paid every cent they've got," said Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett.
In many of the cases, when police were contacted they typically found the victim safe the next day. Often the victims felt too embarrassed or ashamed to report the crime.
"The victims of virtual kidnappings we have engaged are traumatised by what has occurred, believing they have placed themselves, and their loved ones, in real danger," said NSW Police.
Why are people falling for it?
Police said the scam was operating on a mass scale, and appeared to involve a blitz of automated phone calls sent to anyone with a Chinese surname in the phone book.
"They cast their net very widely and they're getting a few people who fall for it, which is very lucrative for them," said Mr Bennett.
He noted that there had been a sharp increase in the past few months, where "pretty much every weekend we've had a victim fall for one of these scams."
Advocates for international students in Australia say they have been more vulnerable amid the pandemic due to their reliance on casual work, and their exclusion from government welfare.
Police said "cultural factors", as well as the isolation of some international students, made them a vulnerable target.
Victims could then be manipulated into extremes such as faking a kidnap because they had fallen under the scammer's "psychological control", Mr Bennett said.
"Students can do two important things to protect themselves against these types of crimes - firstly, be aware they exist and secondly, ask for help early if they think it might be happening to them or someone they know," said NSW Police.
There have also been reports of such frauds occurring in New Zealand and the United States.
Chinese students in Australia targeted in virtual kidnapping scam - BBC News
There's a whole thread about this already...
Looks like the dumb bint finally got banged up for real
For those who lived in QLD, Australia in the 70's/80's ... the estate of SIR JOH BJELKE-PETERSEN
Grab your chance at a limited run of Joe Posters, only a 150 on offer ... currently bid at $1
Unreserved Bjelke-Petersen Estate (A703) - Lot 17
If you want a signed one ... that's $410
Surly Looper, you couldn't pass up this offer of motoring history!
Unreserved Bjelke-Petersen Estate (A703) - Lot 10
---
I've got me eyes on Flo's Cake Tins
All of it, 800+ items ... Lloyds Auctioneers and Valuers - Auction Lots
I don't know if it was his or the Queensland governments King Air he used to fly around in but I wouldn't mind that.
They were a bunch of fucking crooks I tell you, the corrupt police commisioner, the bagman, the unlicensed Casinos. The private roads to gold coast pubs and Kingaroy peanut farms the Fitzgerald inquiry.
Those were interesting days. Don Lane, Russ Hinze, Jack Herbert, Terry Lewis et all
A little reminder
Fitzgerald Inquiry - WikipediaFitzgerald's report was submitted on 3 July 1989.[1] Based on the inquiry's final report,[6] a number of high-profile politicians were charged with crimes; notably Queensland Police Commissioner (Sir) Terry Lewis was charged with corruption.
Bjelke-Petersen himself was charged with perjury in respect of evidence given to the inquiry. The jury in the case remained deadlocked, bringing about a mistrial.[7] In 1992 it was revealed that the jury foreman, Luke Shaw, was a member of the Young Nationals, was identified with the "Friends of Joh" movement and had misrepresented the state of deliberations to the judge. According to an ABC TV analysis, "A later inquiry conducted by Justice Bill Carter found the selection process had been manipulated by ...ex-police officers ...helping to put Joh before a jury led by Young Nationals member, Luke Shaw."[8] A special prosecutor announced in 1992 there would be no retrial because Sir Joh, then aged 81, was too old.
Jack Herbert had been the bagman, collecting bribes for police commissioner Terry Lewis from 1980. Lewis himself had been a bagman for former commissioner Francis Bischof.[4] Lewis was convicted (and subsequently stripped of his knighthood).
Leisha Harvey former health minister, was charged with misappropriating of public funds as part of an investigation resulting from the findings of the inquiry. She spent one year in jail.[5] Don Lane, former transport minister, was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment for falsifying expense accounts.[5] Lane's resignation resulted in the 1989 Merthyr state by-election. Brian Austin, another former health minister, was convicted of misappropriating public funds. Hinze's resignation led to the 1988 South Coast state by-election.
The Queensland Police Special Bureau was formed on 30 July 1940 and renamed Special Branch on 7 April 1948. It was criticised for being used for political purposes by the Bjelke-Petersen government in the 1970s and 1980s, such as enforcing laws against protests (sometimes outnumbering the protesters or using provocateurs to incite violence so the protesters could be arrested[9]) and investigating and harassing political opponents.[10] It was disbanded in 1989 following a recommendation by the Fitzgerald Inquiry.[10] Special Branch destroyed its records before Fitzgerald could subpoena them.[10]
In large part due to public anger over the revelations in the Fitzgerald report, the National Party was heavily defeated in the December 1989 state election, which brought the Australian Labor Party to power for the first time since 1957.
Last edited by Cujo; 09-08-2020 at 01:55 PM.
“If we stop testing right now we’d have very few cases, if any.” Donald J Trump.
From memory Leslie Thiess was convicted of bribing the great peanut.
I thought of bidding on some artwork but thought better of it - paying money to the scumbags isn’t a good thing.
Fish launches into boat off Darwin, killing 56-year-old man, NT Police say - ABC News
Strange things happen in Darwin.
Russ Hinze when police minister was pulled over for speeding by a young cop who didn't know who he was.
Apparently the turd opened a map of Queensland on the bonnet of his car, placed a pudgy finger on far north-west Qld, and then asked the copper where he'd like to be transferred.
Hinze was a pig but he had style.
The link didnt work for me.
This one did. Fish launches into boat off Darwin, killing 56-year-old man, NT Police say - ABC News
A 56-year-old man has died in Darwin after being struck in his chest by a fish while on a fishing boat.
Key points:
- Police say the fish hit the man while he was inside the fishing boat
- The man was rushed to Cullen Bay jetty where he passed away
- Police say the man was fishing with family and friends
Northern Territory Police say the man had been fishing with family and friends on Darwin Harbour on Friday when he was "struck in his chest by a large fish which launched itself into the boat".
A local fisherman said he understood the fish was an 18-kilogram mackerel.
"From reports, it was like an 18-kilo mackerel, so it would have been a big fish that speared right into this guy and caused major blunt [force] trauma," James Crane said."It sounded pretty horrible to have happened, but it does happen."
Darwin fisho James Crane said he heard the fish was an 18-kilogram mackerel.(ABC News: Sowaibah Hanifie)Police say the group immediately made their way to Cullen Bay "where they were met by police and paramedics who administered CPR".
Police say the man died at Cullen Bay.
"This appears to be a freak incident which is hugely distressing for the people in the boat and other family and friends of the man," Northern Territory Police said.
"Police ask that their privacy be respected and as such will not be providing further comment."
Mr Crane, who said he came across a white sheet at the Cullen Bay jetty protecting the man's body, said the incident was "horrible".
"It was hard. Everyone needs to be together right now and to lose someone over a freak accident like that, it was crazy," he said.
"It's horrible that would happen on a fishing boat.
"It's supposed to be a fun day out there with your mates."
Mr Crane said he believed the man was on a personal boat and not a fishing charter.
In 2018, a woman's neck was sliced open when a mackerel launched itself from the water 45 kilometres from Darwin.
A woman whose neck was cut open by a mackerel in 2018 said the experience as "like whiplash".(ABC News: Tales From The Tinny)The 10-kilogram, metre-long mackerel reportedly jumped more than a metre and a half in the air before leaving the woman lying on a fishing boat with blood streaming from her neck.
The woman survived but was left with a deep wound to her neck.
Warning: Be cautious if you are a fragile pink
Holy mackerel, that's a big fish.
What are those immigrant species fish in the US that jump into the boat?
There are currently 2 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 2 guests)