Man jailed for life over frenzied murder

A career criminal who brutally murdered a man in a frenzied attack just months after being released from prison for another murder has been jailed for life.

In a "chilling, similar" attack to his previous murder, Frank Babic, 45, beat his victim Raphael Innaimo with a metal fire poker at least 55 times and punched a hole in his neck.

He also wrapped electrical flex around Mr Innaimo's neck, body and legs at the warehouse from which the victim sold used goods in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick in June 2006.

After the murder, with Mr Innaimo's blood dripping from his jacket sleeves, Babic went to a nearby supermarket.

Police found a trail of the victim's blood at the store.

In sentencing Babic on Friday, Justice Betty King said while Mr Innaimo did push or punch, the attack was unprovoked.

"The deceased man received a ferocious beating over a period of time," Justice King said.

"It was a savage and sustained beating of this man. It could be described as almost frenzied and it is clear from your lack of injuries that the deceased man was unable to put up any substantial form of resistance."

Justice King said that while Babic was intoxicated on the night it was not a mitigating factor.

The court heard Babic was born in Croatia and moved to Melbourne at the age of five.

His criminal career began in 1981 when as a 19-year-old he was sentenced to time in a youth training centre for a series of burglaries.

In 1997, he was sentenced to a minimum of 10 and a half years for murder, and was released on September 22, 2005.

Babic now has been found guilty of 84 offences from 25 court appearances, the court heard.

Justice King ordered Babic serve 28 years in jail before being eligible for parole.

afp 21 Jun 2008

The real pity about this is that the law system releases this kind of trash when there is beyond any reasonable doubt that there can be NO REHABILITATION of such an individual.

The only people suffer are the innocent victims that have been let down by the system. The Law Makers and Policy upholders are virtually unscathed by these crimes.

Only 28 years? The previous sentence DID NOT discourage !!

Justice Kings' verdict is pathetic !!!!

The Death Penalty SHOULD be brought back for such heinous crimes.

Supermodel spared jail over 'jet rage'

British supermodel Naomi Campbell has been ordered to do 200 hours of community service for assaulting two police officers trying to eject her from a plane after a foul-mouthed tirade over lost luggage.

The 38-year-old runway diva faced being sent to prison for up to six months and fined a maximum of $9900 dollars on each of the three assault charges she faced.

Instead, Campwell was sentenced at Uxbridge magistrates court in west London to the community service — equal to working five 40-hour weeks — to be carried out within 12 months for lashing out at the captain of the British Airways jet and police with a barrage of abuse and spitting (a bit of head twisting would not go astray for the show either)

She was also told to pay 200 pounds each to the two officers, 150 pounds to the captain — all of whom she accused of targeting her because she was black — and fines totalling 2,300 pounds.

Last year Campbell did five days of community service in a New York City sanitation warehouse for having thrown a mobile phone at a housemaid and was ordered to undergo anger management therapy.

Her clashes with the law do not appear to have damaged her career — shortly before her sentencing Friday, French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent announced she would front its autumn-winter 2008-2009 advertising campaign.

Her lawyer said she was "genuinely apologetic" for the incident, which happened when her flight to Los Angeles was about to leave Heathrow's brand-new Terminal Five, where problems with the baggage handling had caused chaos.

Judge Peter Yiacoumi said her sentence took into account her guilty pleas and previous good character.

"These offences are aggravated because they were committed within a lengthy incident in a confined space on an aircraft," he said.

"Whilst we accept that the loss of your suitcase would have been stressful your subsequent behaviour cannot be justified."

Earlier, prosecutor Melanie Parrish told the court that Campbell had initially been friendly and professional when she boarded the flight on a first-class ticket.

But she became irate after Captain Miles Sutherland told passengers that take-off could be delayed because problems that dogged the first two weeks after Terminal 5 opened meant that not all the luggage had been loaded.

She was told one of her bags — containing an Yves Saint Laurent outfit that she was contracted to wear on a US chat show — was not on board.

When Sutherland came out of the cockpit to explain the situation and outline what steps she could take, Campbell flew into a rage, ordering him to find the bag himself.

"To say that this process was difficult would be something of an understatement. Miss Campbell made no attempt to listen to him and talked over him, stating, 'I don't want to hear'," Parrish said.

The model was then heard to say on her mobile phone: "They have lost my ****** bags, get me another flight, get the press, get me my lawyer."

She then shouted at Sutherland: "How dare you tell me what my options are? You are not leaving until you find my bags."

As he walked away, the model added: "You are a racist. You wouldn't be doing this if I was white."

Concerned cabin crew called police but Campbell refused to move, despite being warned four times she was going to be forcibly ejected.

Parrish said that as one police officer reached forward to try to take Campbell's arm, the model "went berserk, thrashing her arms around uncontrollably", hitting the officer on the arm with her phone.

The officer's colleague was then kicked in the thigh by Campbell's stiletto-heeled boots in a struggle that forced the only other first-class passenger to move to the staff kitchen for safety, she said.

Campbell then spat on a policeman, prompting him to arrest her for assault, Parrish said.

She became more violent as they tried to remove her, shouting "don't touch me", kicking out and telling the officers: "It is because I am a black woman. You are all racists. I am going to sue you. I am going to f***you."

Campbell's spokesman Alan Edwards said after the case: "She is very, very relieved it is over and she has been treated fairly."

afp 21 Jun 2001

Definitely not Australian, and thank goodness for that !!! Considered very un Australian and Anti-Social behaviour. A prime candidate to throw her into the ET file.

She also advertises that she wants to procreate with everyone. NOT a chance you trash can!!

I wonder if she would sue eg. Tattslotto for not winning.... "because i'm black" An excuse that is wearing very very thin.

Thinks she is better than everyone else... because of ........ ???? ???? ????

Twins' mum told of despair online

The mother accused of torturing and murdering her twin toddlers in Brisbane this week posted messages online saying she couldn’t cope with the demands of parenthood, it has emerged.

The 30-year-old woman left a series of comments on forum Bubhub — which she admitted were “selfish” — describing her despair after the birth of the children, the Courier Mail reported.
The mother and her estranged partner, neither of whom can be named, had charges of failing to provide the necessities of life upgraded to torture and murder yesterday, after the bodies of the 18-month-olds were found on Monday.
She posted the comments online in December, around the time of her break-up with the children’s father and when the abuse is alleged to have started.
"I would like to know how other parents of large families cope from morning to night," she wrote.
"I find that I am drowning since I had the twins. I just can't get everything flowing nicely any more in a routine, it is just do whatever, and at the moment it is killing me.”
She also complained she was unable to lose the 30kg she had gained during the pregnancy.
At one point, she said that concern over her appearance left her in tears, and prevent her from going out.
She felt she did not have enough energy to feed and bathe the children.
The twins’ four siblings are now in the care of their grandmother, who took them to hospital yesterday to undergo health checks.
It was one of the children who found the twins’ emaciated bodies in the front room of the family home after being alerted by an unusual smell, a Brisbane court heard earlier this week.
They had been dead for up to nine days.
The mother of the twins allegedly told police later: "I don't think I fed them enough."
She and her estranged partner will be held in custody until a court mention on August 4, but could seek Supreme Court bail before then.

ninemsn 20 Jun 2008

This person already has children, and KNOWS how difficult it is to raise them. It is through responsible parenting that ones makes INFORMED decisions into family planning. Obviously this was NOt the case in this matter. Unfortunatley, the children stood little or no chance with TpT parents like this.

ACCC launches proceedings against Pratt

The consumer watchdog says it has launched criminal proceedings against billionaire cardboard king Richard Pratt for allegedly providing false or misleading evidence in the course of an investigation.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it had begun proceedings against Mr Pratt by lodging a summons in the Federal Court on Thursday.
The summons requires him to appear before the court on July 7.
In a statement, the ACCC said Mr Pratt was one of several Visy executives investigated in 2005 under section 155 of the 1974 Trade Practices Act, as part of its investigation into alleged cartel conduct in the corrugated fibreboard packaging industry.
That inquiry resulted in civil proceedings being launched against Visy, which culminated in the company being fined $36 million for colluding with Amcor.
In the criminal proceedings launched on Thursday, Mr Pratt is alleged to have knowingly given false or misleading evidence at the 2005 inquiry.
Mr Pratt had not yet entered a plea in the matter, the ACCC statement said.
The summons accuses Pratt of four counts of knowingly giving false or misleading evidence.
It alleges Pratt said he could not recall a conversation he had on May 21, 2001 about a price fixing arrangement between Visy and rival cardboard manufacturer Amcor's corrugated box businesses.
The matter is listed to come to court for a directions hearing on July 7 before Justice Donnell Ryan.

ninemsn 20 Jun 2008

Pratt is responsible for a $700 million worth of fraud, in which he was fined $70 million. That is a 10% value of the crime. A clear indication that Corporate fraud PAY$ well.

It was also mentioned that Pratt was 'shocked'. Shocked that he got caught? Or shocked because he thought that he was above the law, with his Boys Club Buddies

The Law system may go to the extent of slapping him on the wrists, with a velvet ruler.

BUT if you 'allegedly' defraud the Taxation system (Wheatley) you go to JAIL !

Vic police hearings expose 'blue curtain of silence'

Last week Victoria's Office of Police Integrity (OPI) has probed allegations that senior detectives interfered in a murder investigation to help their former colleague Paul Dale, the prime suspect in the case.

One policing specialist says the process at work is a kind of blind loyalty between officers, known as the 'blue curtain of silence'.

The culture of protection is something that has surprised and appalled the former Federal Court judge presiding over the corruption hearings, Murray Wilcox QC.

Certainly a distinct disrespect for police whose job it is to investigate police was palpable in many of secretly recorded phone conversations played to the OPI this week.

Conversations like this one, where former senior detective Dale is happy to denigrate internal investigators in the foulest of language.

Paul Dale: "Tell 'em to go and get f****..."

Unkown person: "Exactly."

Pasul Dale: "They are just f**** trying to f**** ruin my life."

In another phone tap played to the hearing this week a different policeman was heard wishing officers from the Ethical Standards Department would all die.

Justice Wilcox QC told the hearing that comments like this come from a culture where internal investigators are seen as the scum of the earth.

Indeed former drug squad detective Dale was even caught on tape explicitly telling a witness not to cooperate with detectives from the OPI.

"Do not cooperate in any way, shape or form," he told the witness.

"I'd be most disappointed if I ever see a statement with your name on it."

In another phone tap, he asks a friend and still-serving police officer Denis Linehan to visit another witness.

"I was hoping if you had the opportunity, um, of being able to drop in and possibly give him a little bit of free legal advice, if you know what I mean," he said.

Both men deny the so-called free legal advice was code for telling this witness to shut up.

All for one

But what can not be denied is that senior detectives like Mr Linehan showed no reluctance to continue to help and fraternise with their former colleague Paul Dale - even when they knew he was suspected of involvement in the double murder of former drug dealer-turned police informant Terrence Hodson and his wife Christine in 2004.

Policing specialist Colleen Lewis from Monash University says this willingness to put personal relationships ahead of their responsibilities as police officers is a sign of the almost blind loyalty that can arise between police.

She coined the phrase, the 'blue curtain of silence'.

"It's this strong code that actually encourages police to cover up the misconduct and even sometimes the criminal activities of other officers," she said.

Associate Professor Lewis says public hearings like this week's will help discourage such misguided allegiances.

"You're seeing now police officers who are going to quite possibly be in trouble themselves because of the blind loyalty that they've showed to other officers," she said.

Victoria's chief commissioner of Police Christine Nixon has already introduced a new policy aimed at stamping out so-called 'improper relationships'.

Given the culture that has been on display this week, the OPI is now expected to recommend more measures to tackle the problem.

Adapted from an AM report by Jane Cowan

abc 15 Jun 2008

Is this person for real??? !!! Is he really SUPRISED and APPALLED?????
If so he MUST be retarded!!!! Everyone is aware of what is going on except this Anglo-Masonic Fossil. Get rid of him!!!

Mrs Snoop Dogg accused of drink driving

Police say the wife of rapper Snoop Dogg has been arrested in the United States under suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Lt Craig Brower says officers stopped 32-year-old Shante Broadus of Sherman Oaks at about 12.15am Saturday in Fullerton, California, and took her to jail.

She was cited for a misdemeanour driving under the influence and then released pending a court appearance.

Brower said nobody else was in the car but he didn't have any other details.

Broadus and Snoop Dogg — whose real name is Calvin Broadus Jr — were married in 1997 and have three children.

A message left with Snoop Dogg's publicist was not immediately returned.

ninemsn 15 Jun 2008

Not an Aussie we know, BUT still a Prime Candidate for the ET File. Just an example of how the business is littered with Trailer park Trash. Looks and behaves like pure TpT.
As the saying goes "You can take the boy out of Brunswick (trashy Melbourne suburb), but you can't take Brunswick out of the boy".

Definitely Newsworthy for Australians to aspire to.

Pregnant man update: Three weeks to go

Just weeks before he gives birth, pregnant man Thomas Beatie shows no sign of slowing down.

Hiding his baby bump under a T-shirt that reads "Define Normal", the world's first pregnant man is showing no signs of putting his feet up, tending to his lawn just weeks out from his due date.

Despite saying he's "always feeling bloated" and is suffering from aching feet and hips, Thomas Beatie has been spotted by his neighbours carrying out "manly" chores at his Bend, Oregon, home, such as taking out the garbage and mowing the lawn, while wife Nancy has been busy preparing their new arrival's nursery, decked out in yellow.

"I often see him taking out the rubbish. These things have to be done and Thomas is happy to do them," neighbour Mitch Kahle told Closer magazine in the UK.

"They are just like any other couple expecting a child. Thomas likes to keep busy, and if that means doing tasks around the house, that's what he has to do."

Thomas shocked the world when he announced in March this year that he was pregnant. Born Tracy LaGondino, he is now legally a man after a partial sex-change operation 10 years ago, but he was able to fall pregnant because he kept his reproductive organs.

"Ironically, being pregnant doesn't make me feel any more female or feminine," Thomas told Oprah Winfrey in what's believed to have been a million-dollar deal between the talk-show host and People magazine in April. "Having this baby doesn't make me less of a man. Wanting a child is a human desire. So I decided just to have a chest reconstruction and testosterone therapy, keeping my womb intact. The only thing different about me is that I won't be able to breastfeed."

For the full story, see this week's Woman's Day (on sale June 9).

Selfish retarded people do not think of the consequences for their children.

Devo to sue McDonald's over doll's hat

Post-punk pioneers Devo say they are suing McDonald's in the US over a Happy Meal doll that sports the band's signature red flower pot hat.

In April, the fast food chain released a series of American Idol Happy Meal toys in the US based on a range of music genres, including Disco Dave, Country Clay, Rockin' Riley and Soulful Selma.

Devo's complaint relates to New Wave Nigel, a toy kitted out in an orange jumpsuit, pink shades, and Devo's "energy dome" hat.

The band also allege that the toy plays a "Devo-esque song".

Bass player Gerald Casale said the band were taking legal action against McDonald's for using their copyrighted hat without permission.

"We are in the midst of suing them," Casale told AAP.

"This New Wave Nigel doll that they've created is just a complete Devo rip-off and the red hat is exactly the red hat that I designed, and it's copyrighted and trademarked.

"They didn't ask us anything. Plus, we don't like McDonald's, and we don't like American Idol, so we're doubly offended."

Comment was being sought from McDonald's.

Devo, who formed in Akron, Ohio, in 1974, are famous for their 1980 hit Whip It, and are credited with helping to usher in the synth pop sound of the 1980s.

The name Devo comes from "de-evolution" - the idea that instead of evolving, mankind has actually regressed.

Casale said it was ironic the world's largest fast food chain should appropriate the image of a band known for taking aim at the dysfunction and herd mentality of American society.

"The very same people that wanted nothing to do with Devo and looked down on Devo and condescended (to) Devo... enough time's gone by that they go, 'Hey, you know those guys are synonymous with what was new about New Wave,'" he said.

"'So if we're going to do New Wave Nigel what do people recognise iconically better than Devo and the red hat?'"

More than 30 years after forming, the band are currently writing new material and will tour Australia in late July and early August.

They are due to headline the Splendour in the Grass music festival in Byron Bay on August 2.

aap 13 Jun 2008

Show you what sort of disrespect a Giant Multinational has for the copyrights of others. If it were the reverse McChucks would be all over the defendant.