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Thursday's news in 5 minutes.

1. Mum sent her ex one last picture of their 2-yo daughter before she allegedly smothered her to death.

Two days before Cody-Anne Jackson smothered her two-year-old daughter to death before attempting to take her own life, she sent her ex ‘one last picture’ of their little girl, a court has heard.

The Sun reports Stafford Crown Court heard how the 20-year-old mother ‘bombarded’ her ex, Paul Hogan, with angry texts when their relationship ended.

She then allegedly sent Paul an image of little Macey alongside a message that read, “Sorry, just thought you deserved one last picture and memory of her.”

Two days after that text, on October 10, 2016, Macey was found dead. The court heard that Cody had suffocated Macey before making an unsuccessful attempt to take her own life.

Paul had moved out of the family home just a week before his daughter was allegedly killed.

Macey’s mother maintains her daughter suffocated while sleeping in the bed next to her, and that she attempted suicide after waking to discover her toddler’s lifeless body in the morning.

She called emergency services to report her daughter wasn’t breathing, but pathologists found evidence of widespread haemorrhaging to her eyes and face, consistent with suffocation.

“This child suffered widespread brain damage caused by the interruption of oxygenated blood supply to the brain,” prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC told the court.

“Something has interfered with her ability to breathe.”

A note found in Cody-Anne’s home also allegedly confirmed that she had planned to kill her daughter, then take her own life.

She denies the murder charges, and her trial, expected to last three weeks, continues.

2. Police fear for safety of woman after CCTV showed her being ‘dragged’ into a car by men.

NSW detectives are concerned for the welfare of a woman who was seen being dragged into a car in Sydney’s inner west, AAP reports.

Witnesses reported seeing the woman, believed to be aged 30 to 35, struggling to free herself from two men who approached her from behind and screaming on Burleigh Street in Burwood before 8.30pm on Tuesday.

They reported the incident to the nearest police station but by the time officers arrived the woman was gone.

No missing person report has been made but on Wednesday police said they had concerns for the woman’s welfare and released CCTV images of the incident.

The woman is described as of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern appearance, between 172 and 175cm tall and had her brown hair tied in a bun at the time of the incident.

9 News reports she was wearing black tracksuit pants, blue shoes and a black zip-up leather jacket.

“Investigators believe there may be other witnesses to the incident who are yet to contact police and are appealing for those people, as well as anyone else who may have information, to come forward,” NSW Police said in a statement.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

3. A 16-yo girl learned she had been gang raped when police found GoPro footage six weeks later.

A teenager found out she had been gang raped at a house party when police uncovered footage of the assaults on a GoPro camera six weeks later, a Sydney jury has been told.

The 17-minute-long video allegedly shows a group of men having sex with the 16-year-old in a bedroom at a party in May 2015, prosecutor Sharon Harris said on Wednesday.

“One by one we’ll all get a f***,” one man can allegedly be heard saying in the video, she said in the crown opening address at the Downing Centre District Court.

Kurt Stevenson, 26, Andrew Waters, 24, and Tristan Carlyle-Watson, 26, have each pleaded not guilty to multiple offences including aggravated sexual assault in company and inflicting actual bodily harm, AAP reports.

The jury was told the girl was invited to the house party after befriending Carlyle-Watson on Facebook.

She asked him “to take care of her” because she didn’t know anyone.

At the party she smoked cannabis and drank alcohol to the point where she wasn’t able to consent to sexual intercourse, Ms Harris said.

The girl has no recollection of what unfolded other than waking up in bed with Carlyle-Watson allegedly forcing her to perform a sex act, she said.

She became “upset” when police officers tracked her down and told her what had happened in the video, which shows a group of men having sex with her “sometimes … simultaneously, sometimes taking turns,” Ms Harris said.

The teen can be heard saying she’s tired and wants to sleep before one man says “I’ll get this f***ing party started c***.”

Weaving pig Latin into their conversations, one of the men says “don’t you ilmfay (film) me… I can’t be going to ourtcay (court)…”

In his opening address, Stevenson’s lawyer Michael Smith said his client had consensual sex with the girl, had no idea it was being filmed and on numerous occasions told the others to get out.

“Do not watch a two-dimensional, poor quality video and make your minds up about this case,” he said.

Waters’ lawyer Peter Little said there was an issue of consent and the complainant can be seen cooperating.

Carlyle-Watson’s lawyer Paul Glissan also said she is “actively participating in the sex.”

The trial continues.

4. Former AFL player Jake King has been charged with making threats to kill.

Former Richmond AFL player Jake King has been charged with making threats to kill, and Hawthorn’s Tyrone Vickery arrested, as part of an extortion probe, AAP reports.

The former Richmond teammates were arrested on Wednesday afternoon and King is now on bail, charged with six offences.

The 33-year-old was charged with threats to kill, making threats to kill, two counts of threats to inflict serious injury and two counts of using a carriage service to harass.

Vickery, 27, was released pending further investigations.

Fairfax Media reports Vickery had enlisted King to help him recover $100,000 he believes had been stolen from his Hawthorn restaurant business.

King was arrested at City of Ink, the tattoo parlour he co-owned with former bikie and underworld figure Toby Mitchell in South Melbourne.

Victoria Police also raided properties in Wheelers Hill and Thornbury.

“Hawthorn Football Club is aware that Ty Vickery is assisting police in an investigation. As the matter is under investigation the club will not be making further comment at this time,” Hawthorn said in a statement on Wednesday.

King is due to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on November 15.

5. This South Australian zookeeper has been dubbed ‘rhino whisperer’ thanks to his soulful lullabies.

They say music soothes the savage beast and if the work of a South Australian zoo keeper is anything to go by, they’re right.

Monarto keeper Mark Mills has been dubbed the “rhino sleep whisper” for his work in Africa helping to care for a baby rhino that was rejected by its mother just one day after being born.

In a video posted online by the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary, Mr Mills is seen serenading the young rhino with his guitar.

Within a minute or two the baby’s legs give way and she settles down to sleep alongside her Aussie friend.

“Whenever Mark plays the guitar this baby rhino will listen intently and then snuggle up next to him where she falls into a deep sleep,” the sanctuary said.

Mr Mills has been working with the rhinos in Africa for the past six months.

6. The ‘well-dressed’ man found dead in a Melbourne park was going on a date, his family says.

Paul Costa was wearing an expensive suit when his body was found bloodied and face down in a Melbourne park almost 12 hours after he went missing, AAP reports.

The 43-year-old Coburg man was found dead in Dunstan Reserve in Brunswick West on Monday morning.

“The homicide squad is investigating Paul’s death and it is being treated as suspicious,” police said in a statement on Wednesday.

Mr Costa was found wearing an Ermenegildo Zegna suit and expensive dress shoes, and there was a blood trail leading from the car park to the body.
His father Alex said he thought his son may have been going on a date.

“We don’t know why he was wearing his suit and dress shoes,” he told the Herald Sun.

“He was very private, we thought he had a date.

“He was very kind, he wouldn’t even hurt a bird.”

Mr Costa was last seen driving away from his home at 9pm on Sunday, before his body was found at 8.20am on Monday.

Police have released a photo of his missing red 1999 Nissan Patrol, with the registration PJJ199.

They want to speak to anyone who spoke to Mr Costa on Sunday night or who knew why he was at Dunstan Reserve.

Do you have a story to share with Mamamia? Email us news@mamamia.com.au

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Top Comments

Lisa Trudi Brett 7 years ago

#1 I really don't care how much you hate your ex, or how bad your relationship was, there is NO EXCUSE for taking the life of a child.


A lawyer 7 years ago

#3 How the eff can those lawyers say those things to defend those rapists? I understand you have to defend your clients, but when they are court on camera clearly raping her....how can you possibly try to get them acquitted then still sleep at night?