Police and courts
Missing Hedland man: Police suspect homicide
Police are now treating the Lindsay Judas case as a suspected homicide.
Mr Judas, 55, disappeared in January last year while on a solo fishing trip to Broome.
He was employed as a bus driver by a mining company, working out of Hedland.
His vehicle turned up later in Queensland.
PerthNow [read this story]
Halls Creek: Charges dropped for concealing birth
Prosecutors have dropped charges against an Irish backpacker accused of concealing a birth.
Caroline Marie Quinn, 25, is said to have hidden her stillborn baby’s body for several days in May.
Prosecutors said it was not in the public interest to pursue the charges.
Caroline Marie Quinn, 25, is understood to now be back in Ireland.
The West Australian [read this story]
Sandfire: Road block nets stolen ute driver.
Police say a man stole a ute from a resort at Cable Beach yesterday morning.
After several high-speed pursuits they arrested him at Sandfire Roadhouse about eight hours later.
The West Australian [read this story]
Springvale: Chopper pilot killed
A helicopter pilot was found dead and his chopper burned at 7:30 this morning.
A search started when the 34-year-old failed to return to Springvale Station at 6:00pm last night.
PerthNow [read this story]
Warneke killer’s sentence delayed
The man who pleaded guilty to killing Josh Warneke could not be sentenced today as planned.
Justice Lindy Jenkins postponed the sentencing because Gene Gibson did not have an interpreter present.
He had previously had a murder charge downgraded to manslaughter because Justice Stephen Hall found he had been denied the right to an interpreter and had made involuntary admissions to police.
Broome: Bell on trial for baby murder
A baby’s stepfather is on trial for the child’s abduction, torture, rape and murder.
Police say Mervyn Kenneth Douglas Bell took the 10-month old boy from his mother in Broome in March 2012.
The boy was found dead at the Fortescue River Roadhouse 15 hours later.
He is on trial at the Supreme Court
WAToday [read this story]
Warmun: Flood rescuers’ bravery recognised
This years Australian Bravery Awards recognised nine people for their part in the 2011 flood rescues.
Christopher Churchill and Senior Constable Donald Couper received Commendations for Brave Conduct.
A group bravery citation went to Kathleen and Rodney Burnby, the late Christopher Clare, Tanya Couper, Cecil Mosquito, Julie Echo and Leon Pinday.
The West Australian [read this story]
Cape Leveque: Search for boat in distress
Police are coordinating a search for a boat that let off a distress signal near Cape Leveque this morning.
PerthNow [read this story]