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Subscriber only A retired Darling Downs business leader was condemned in court for his dedication to collecting child exploitation material over two decades and financially supporting a black market that thrives on children s misery. The Dalby District Court on Tuesday, February 10 heard when police swooped in on retired Agribusiness bank manager Peter William Hansell s home on January 12, 2020, officers uncovered 139 category one child exploitation files. Crown prosecutor Matthew Le Grand told the court the files on Hansell s computer contained varying amounts of images and videos of children either naked, engaging sexual acts with adults, or with exposed genitalia. The court heard when Hansell was interviewed by police, the retired bank manager said he had been collecting the material for more than 20 years, with Mr Le Grand noting it spoke to his level of dedication to it.
Queensland could be host to Australia's first purpose-built privately run Covid-19 isolation and Quarantine centre, with potential capacity for 6000 people.
Construction firm Wagners wants to build the centre on its land next to the airport in Toowoomba, a city of more than 130,000 people west of Brisbane.
The state and federal governments are currently talking through the proposal. But Wagner's chairman John Wagner reckons a purpose built complex is the best option.
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Subscriber only Former employee of the Chinchilla Chamber and Commerce Inc, Gaye Kathleen Smith, who is alleged to have fraudulently obtained between $30,000 and $100,000 from the community organisation, will ask the court to make changes to her bail. On Thursday, February 4, the Chinchilla Magistrates Court heard Smith will be asking for a change to her bail requirements, which will be submitted to a magistrate by her lawyers at her next court mention. The court also heard a full brief of evidence was required and would be ordered. Â Ms Smith is alleged to have committed the following offences: One charge of dishonestly obtaining property from another employee, at the value of over $30,000, but less than $100,000.
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Subscriber only A grandmother who started 2021 off by downing 18 beers before getting behind the wheel has been reminded by a judge just how dangerous drink driving can be. The grandmother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in Murgon Magistrates Court to driving while under the influence on Tuesday, February 2. Police Prosecutor Sergeant Barry Stevens told the court the woman was intercepted for a routine check at 7.10am on January 1. She admitted to police that she had consumed 18 stubbies of XXXX Gold beer between 10.30am and 3am the night before and returned a reading of 0.077 BAC.
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Subscriber only After being seriously assaulted and calling triple-zero, the last thing a Proston man was expecting was to be tasered and charged with obstructing police. But that s exactly what occurred to 57-year-old Darren Arthur Bricknell, who faced Murgon Magistrates Court on February 2. Bricknell pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing a police officer after a violent incident on January 16. Police prosecutor Sergeant Barry Stevens told the court police were called to a Proston address at 11.45pm where they found Bricknell in his front yard with a large laceration to his head. He told police the injuries occurred when he was assaulted by several people.