1. Man found guilty of manslaughter after “stomping” on 2-year-old girl.
The man who stomped on and killed a two-year-old girl – 11 years ago – after she wet herself on his couch has been cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter in a Victorian court.
The man, Mussie Debrasay, 37, was in a relationship with the girl’s mother.
The family had been staying with Debresay on May 13, 2005, when the toddler’s abdomen was deliberately squeezed or compressed by an extreme, severe force, and she was dead within hours.
Her older brother, who was four at the time told police the girl did a “wee wee” on the couch and “MJ”, as he called the man, hit her because she was naughty.
The court heard that the little girl could not have sustained her catastrophic internal injuries from just falling off a couch like Debrasay claimed.
The ABC reports the boy consistently told police and family members Debresay was responsible, despite the man denying ever having abused the child.
Debresay pleaded not guilty to murdering the toddler but was found responsible for her death in court on Monday.
2. “Call an ambulance … but don’t tell my mum.”
A teenager surfer has survived a shark attack by a great white off Ballina on the NSW north coast.
Cooper Allen, 17, was mauled by what was suspected to be a 3.5m great white at Ballina’s Lighthouse Beach.
The teenager was surfing with friends about 9am yesterday on the first day of his school holidays when the attack took place.
As he swam to safety he turned to his rescuers and said: “Call an ambulance … but don’t tell my mum.”
His friends Jae who was surfing with him told News Limited, “It came up and knocked him off his board and started thrashing around,’’ “He was yelling and we called ‘shark’ and tried to get him out of there.’’
Cooper is recovering in hospital.
3. Trent Thorburn beaten in prison.
News Limited reports that the 19-year-old accused of incest with Tiahleigh Palmer before she was murdered has been beaten by fellow inmates twice in prison.
According to The Courier Mail inmates shouted “pretty boy” and “kill him” as they cheered his attackers on.
The 19-year-old was arrested, along with his father, mother and brother, over the death of Tiahleigh Palmer, 12, last October.
His father Rick Thorburn, who was Tiahleigh’s foster father, is accused of murdering her after discovering his son had been sexually abusing Tiahleigh.
The Courier Mail reports that Thorburn was treated at the prison infirmary but his injuries are not serious.
4. Man accused of Salt Creek sex attack pleads not guilty.
A 60-year-old man accused of attacking two backpackers at a remote beach in South Australia’s Coorong National Park has pleaded not guilty.
In the South Australian Supreme Court the 60-year-old pleaded not guilty to seven charges, including attempted murder and indecent assault.
It is alleged the man attacked the two women at Salt Creek, southeast of Adelaide, in February.
He allegedly used a hammer and a knife during the attack and drove his car at or over one of the women, endangering her life.
The man is also charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault and causing harm with intent.
5. Australia: “Child-stealing capital of the western world.”
Australian children are removed nearly twice as often as in the US and almost three times the rate in New Zealand. Via iStock.
An inquiry has heard that Australian children are removed from their families at a rate unseen anywhere else in the world.
Australian children are removed nearly twice as often as in the US and almost three times the rate in New Zealand.
The inquiry also heard there is a “a culture of removal and a culture of victim blaming”.
The NSW parliamentary committee heard from Mary Moore, convener of the volunteer Alliance for Family Preservation and Restoration who said that children were being taken into care based on the opinion of case workers where no harm had occurred “but because they have concerns the child might suffer harm in the future, and they’re then in care until age 18” reports The Australian.
Ms Moore said in Australia 2272 children per million were removed from their parents compared to Finland, with a population of 5.4 million at 1851 children per million and the US at 1255 per million.
Domestic Violence NSW policy manager Sophie Trower said, “I think in some jurisdictions there is a culture of removal, and a culture of victim blaming.”
6. Only one electorate in Australia is opposed to same sex marriage.
Australians overwhelmingly are in favour of same sex marriage – all except one electorate.
A University of Melbourne study has found that Maranoa, in outback south-western Queensland, held by the Coalition's David Littleproud, has just over 50 per cent of voters who do not want gay marriage.
Fairfax Media reports that the poll showed support is strongest in the Sydney seats held by Labor's Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's home turf of Wentworth, Greens-held Melbourne and a ring of ALP seats in the Victorian capital's inner suburbs.
Monash University political scientist Shaun Ratcliff told Fairfax Media: "Based on our data and other polling, it appears a plebiscite would pass easily."
7. First Presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump taking place today.
The first political debate between US presidential hopefuls is taking place at a 1,100-seat college venue with 300 local students and 400 invited guests from each campaign.
It is the first of three debates before Election Day and starts at 11am AEST.
This first Presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is expected to be watched by 120 million Americans.
Both candidates have come out firing in preparation on Twitter:
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