It's About Crime

Two former contestants from My Kitchen Rules can now be publicly identified after one of them pleaded guilty to multiple assaults involving children. Claudean Bernadette Uamaki-Mu, 54, and Anthony Michael Mu, who both appeared on the Channel 7 reality cooking show in 2023, were previously shielded by a non-publication order issued by Richlands Magistrates Court. That order has now been lifted following Uamaki-Mu's guilty plea on Wednesday. Uamaki-Mu admitted to six counts of common assault and received a 12-month good behaviour bond with a $1,000 recognisance. No conviction was recorded. Court proceedings began at 9 a.m., though a delay followed while police attempted to amend the charges. After a prolonged case conference that continued through the lunch break, prosecutors chose to proceed with six charges and withdrew the rest. Acting Magistrate Michael Quinn described the assaults as “extremely serious,” detailing several disturbing incidents. These included pulling a child’s ha...

A homeowner’s security footage captured a controversial moment in Westbrook, Queensland, back in 2022, when a Toowoomba Regional Council worker appeared to lure a cat from a driveway—before issuing a $280 fine for a roaming pet. The video, recorded on the property of Julie and Steven Stephens, shows a council officer in high-visibility uniform approaching the driveway with a clipboard. Off camera, two cats can be heard or seen reacting to her presence. The worker then stepped backward toward the street, appearing to draw one of the cats out to the footpath. Once the cat followed, she picked it up and walked to her vehicle across the road. Steven Stephens, who watched the event unfold on his security system, rushed outside to intervene. He managed to retrieve the cat before it was impounded—but not before being slapped with a fine. The incident was one of several disputes the couple had with council officers over their pets—eight dachshunds and at least two cats. Before leaving, the wor...

Two young men have lost their lives and another is in critical condition following a serious crash involving a BMW sedan and a truck in south-west Sydney on Monday night. Emergency services responded to the incident on King Georges Road in Wiley Park around 8:45pm. Upon arrival, they found three men trapped inside the BMW. Tragically, two passengers, aged 22 and 23, were pronounced dead at the scene. The 20-year-old driver sustained severe injuries and was rushed to hospital in critical condition. The truck driver, a 24-year-old man, was also taken to hospital for mandatory testing. A crime scene has been established, and specialist police from the Crash Investigation Unit are examining the circumstances surrounding the collision. Investigators are expected to consider whether wet weather conditions contributed to the crash. A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

A heart-stopping scene unfolded on Lake Havasu on April 26 when a speedboat, pushing the limits in a record-breaking attempt, launched into the air and violently flipped. Amazingly, both racers survived the crash and walked away with only minor injuries — a near-miraculous outcome given the circumstances. The 10,000-horsepower vessel was tuned for an attempt to set a new speed record when disaster struck. Speedboat Magazine’s Ray Lee shared his thoughts on the crash, noting that the team had high hopes of making history that weekend. Fellow competitors say credit for the racers' survival belongs to the engineers who built the boat. The last thing you ever want to see is a crash, especially something as horrendous as that, said Jeff Clark, a fellow competitor and longtime boating enthusiast who has participated in shootout events for the past five years. Clark explained that at such extreme speeds, drivers have very little time to react. At that speed, it doesn't take much. Thes...

The Minecraft movie had a massive opening weekend at the box office — and it didn't take long for chaos to erupt inside theaters across the country. Reports flooded social media of rowdy audiences throwing popcorn, screaming lines from the movie, and even prompting police intervention at some locations.  While many fans reveled in the wild atmosphere, others said the experience was completely ruined by the pandemonium. Videos quickly surfaced online showing crowds shouting, filming scenes on their phones, clapping loudly, and in some cases, tossing food and drinks around the theater. One phrase in particular has risen to meme status: "CHICKEN JOCKEY!" The now-iconic line, delivered by Jack Black (who plays Steve, Minecraft's beloved playable character), has sent audiences — especially teens — into a frenzy. It’s shouted during a scene where Black’s Steve and Jason Momoa’s character face off against a cuboid chicken ridden by a baby zombie in a boxing ring — a direct n...

A series of serious safety shortcomings by tourism operator Sea World Helicopters contributed to the devastating Gold Coast helicopter crash that killed four people, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). In its final report into the January 2, 2023 crash, the ATSB found that changes Sea World Helicopters made to its location, facilities, and fleet—intended to enhance its services—had unintended and dangerous consequences. One major flaw identified was in the system designed to alert pilots to the presence of nearby helicopters. The report revealed that the system failed, leading to a tragic miscommunication: neither pilot had an accurate understanding of the other’s position. On that clear and sunny afternoon, 11 tourists boarded two Eurocopter EC130 helicopters for a scenic flight. The two choppers, operating from separate but nearby helipads, collided — one ascending while the other was landing. Four people aboard the ascending helicopter died when its tail a...

More than 50 people have died after the roof of a nightclub in the Dominican Republic’s capital, Santo Domingo, collapsed during a live music performance in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Shocking footage shared online captured the moment the Jet Set nightclub's roof gave way during a concert by famed merengue singer Rubby Perez. At least 58 people have been confirmed dead, and more than 150 others have been hospitalized. Among the victims were Octavio Dotel, a former Major League Baseball star, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province. Perez himself was trapped under the rubble, according to reports. Local media estimated that between 500 and 1,000 people were inside the club at the time of the collapse. “It was so sudden. I thought it was an earthquake,” said Enrique Paulino, Perez’s manager. “I threw myself to the ground and covered my head. One of our saxophonists is dead. We tried to reach Rubby, but there was too much debris.” Perez’s daughter, Zulinka, t...

The family of Simon Nellist, a diving instructor tragically killed in a shark attack off Sydney’s coast last year, has remembered him as a "gentle, kind and wonderful human being." Mr. Nellist, originally from the UK and living in Wolli Creek, was swimming at Little Bay just after 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday February 16 when he was fatally attacked. His death marks Sydney’s first fatal shark attack since 1963, when a similar tragedy occurred at Sugarloaf Bay in Middle Harbour. In a statement to the BBC, Mr. Nellist’s family described him as a "proud Cornishman" who had found a second home in Australia. They praised his talents as a photographer and his deep love for the ocean and nature. "Simon was a cherished fiancé, son, brother, uncle, and friend. He had a rare gift for connecting with people, always making time for others and earning their trust and respect," they said. "We will miss him terribly." Known for his daily swims at Little Bay, Mr. N...

A Florida sheriff personally greeted one of the suspects in a lottery scam at Daytona Beach International Airport, confronting her over a scheme that stole $35,000 from an 85-year-old woman. Shania Baptiste was extradited from New York to Florida in connection with the fraud, which drained an elderly Daytona Beach resident of her life savings, according to reports from Fox 35 Orlando and WFTV Channel 9. Media captured the moment as Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood met Baptiste at the airport. "Shania, I am Sheriff Chitwood, and I want to let you know that we protect our seniors in this community. That’s why you’re here," Chitwood told her before she was handcuffed and taken to jail. "I hope you enjoy your stay here. Welcome to Florida." Baptiste responded by claiming innocence, saying, "I’m sorry for the crime that was committed, but it was not me." Baptiste and her alleged accomplice, Neilson Brooks, face charges of Organized Scheme to Defraud and Gra...

A charter captain has been arrested after a viral video captured a heated altercation with another boater in Florida last week, authorities confirmed. According to the Punta Gorda Police Department, the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. on April 1, when 40-year-old Brock Horner maneuvered his boat alongside another vessel and boarded it without permission. In the video, which quickly spread across social media, fisherman Gage Towles can be seen telling Horner he can’t speed underneath the 41 bridge in Punta Gorda, just about 10 feet away from Towles’ boat. Horner, appearing angry over a previous incident on March 30—where Towles and others were allegedly fishing in the dark without lights—begins shouting and using profanity. The confrontation escalates when Horner leaps onto Towles’ boat, grabs him by the shirt, and demands an apology for the earlier encounter. "The event has garnered significant attention on social media, and we are receiving numerous calls requesting action,...

Elizabeth Anne Hanks, daughter of Tom Hanks and his first wife, Samantha Lewes, shares an intimate look at her turbulent upbringing and complicated bond with her mother in her upcoming book, The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road. In an excerpt obtained by People, Hanks—who now writes under the name E.A. Hanks—reflects on how her parents' divorce in 1985 shaped her and her brother Colin’s early years. “I am a kid from the First (non-famous) Marriage,” she writes. “My only memories of my parents together are from Colin’s high school graduation and then my own.” She describes a lone photograph of herself standing between them, noting her mother’s wig slightly askew. Born in Burbank, Hanks recalls having “few memories of the early years in Los Angeles” after her mother abruptly relocated them to Sacramento, six hours away, following the divorce. While a custody agreement allowed for visits with her father and stepmother on weekends and summers, she describes her years from age f...

 A 21-year-old man from rural New South Wales has been charged with multiple animal cruelty offences after distressing videos allegedly depicting acts of abuse surfaced on social media. The footage, described as “deeply disturbing,” was initially shared by reptile catcher and conservationist Ash McInnes on the Broken Hill Snake Catchers Facebook page. Mr. McInnes, who edited the clips to make them viewable, stated the videos appear to show a man running over an injured kangaroo’s head with a dirt bike, punching a kangaroo, and kicking baby animals. The man, whose identity cannot be disclosed for legal reasons, is believed to be a local who plays for North Broken Hill Football Club. Reports suggest he had been working across multiple properties during the period the clips were recorded. Following the public release of the footage, he has since deleted all his social media accounts. Mr. McInnes condemned the footage as “deplorable” and urged the public to report any instances of anim...

Security measures at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) are under intense scrutiny after two men allegedly smuggled loaded firearms into the stadium during a high-profile AFL match between Carlton and Collingwood on Thursday night. With over 82,000 spectators in attendance, the incident has sparked a wave of concern and urgent calls for heightened security protocols. According to Victoria Police, both men are alleged to have carried separate loaded firearms hidden in their clothing. The breach occurred despite the MCG recently installing advanced AI-powered security scanners designed to detect dangerous items. It's reported that the men managed to evade thorough inspection, even after initial screening flagged concerns. The Herald Sun reported that the men allegedly concealed the weapons in their pants. It wasn’t until around 8:30 p.m., when stadium security asked the men to leave due to inappropriate behavior, that the firearms were discovered during a police search. Both individuals ...

 A Sydney school was evacuated on Friday morning following an anonymous bomb threat, prompting a swift police response and raising concerns over the recurrence of similar incidents across the country. St Charbel’s College in Punchbowl received the threatening call at approximately 8:20 a.m. as students from kindergarten to Year 12 were arriving for the day. The school immediately enacted its emergency protocols, ensuring the safety of students and staff. Parents were quickly notified via an official message stating, “The school received an anonymous bomb threat this morning.” The message further reassured them, saying, “The police are on site and as far as I know, the school has been evacuated to Roberts Park. There is no bomb on site, but the school is taking necessary precautions to keep our kids safe.” The message concluded with a statement of support: “St Charbel is with our kids and school community always.” NSW Police confirmed that a section of the school was evacuated as a ...