Latest news with #Maroochydore
Herald Sun
12 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Keith Lees faces court over Meaghan Rose cold case murder
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. A man charged over the cold case murder of his former partner nearly three decades ago was mentioned in a Sunshine Coast court on Monday. Keith Lees, 72, is accused of murdering Meaghan Louise Rose, 25, whose body was found at the base of cliffs at Point Cartwright in Mooloolaba on July 18, 1997. His matter was the subject of a committal mention in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday following his extradition from NSW in January. Mr Lees' acting solicitor requested a 'lengthy adjournment' due to complexities in the case file. Meaghan Louise Rose's body was found at the base of Point Cartwright Cliffs in Mooloolaba on July 18, 1997. Picture: Qld Police Keith Lees is accused of her murder. Picture: Queensland Police Police allege Mr Lees was in a relationship with Ms Rose at the time of her death, which was initially ruled a suicide. The case was reopened by homicide detectives in 2022 following new information. After being questioned by police in Victoria in 2023, Mr Lees allegedly disappeared. His car was later found abandoned in Portland, on the state's southwest coast, and police were unable to track him down for about 18 months. He was arrested in Sydney recently over the 27-year-old cold case death on the Sunshine Coast. Picture: Steve Pohlner Police allege Mr Lees was unknowingly assisted by religious groups in NSW who were unaware of his true identity or that he was wanted by police. A $500,000 reward was offered as part of the renewed investigation, and police later confirmed that a listener of the Australian True Crime podcast helped lead them to Mr Lees' arrest. He was taken into custody at a property in Dural, in Sydney's northwest, and extradited to Queensland. His matter was initially mentioned in Brisbane before being transferred to the Sunshine Coast. Mr Lees has been charged with one count of murder and remains in custody on remand. He is yet to enter any pleas. The case has been adjourned until August 4 for a further committal mention. Originally published as Keith Lees faces court over Meaghan Rose cold case murder
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Call from Officeworks sparks three-day mission after worrying find in store
A call from concerned staff at an Officeworks store has triggered a three-day rescue mission after a surprise visitor was spotted chucking laps around the store's roof. Employees were stunned to discover one morning last week that a boobook owl had also decided to clock in at the Maroochydore venue, in Queensland. Hoping the bird would realise his error and head home, they placed a bowl of water on the ground in a bid to keep him comfortable. But as the owl continued to flap his wings metres above their heads, staff realised they needed proper help. Enter Keith Porteous, otherwise known online as The Wildlife Rescuer. After arriving at the Officeworks, the Sunshine Coast local told Yahoo News he tried to catch the owl as it slept during the day but it was 'too clever for that'. The following day he tried to lure the boobook down with mealworms and mice, but it wouldn't budge. 'He wasn't coming down at all. I think because the store had the lights on 24 hours, and the bird being nocturnal, it was totally spun out by that,' Porteous said. 'The factor that concerned me most is, like all big stores, they lay baits for rodents, so there was a high possibility it might pick up one of those in the store. So I was quite keen to get it out as quickly as possible.' Finally, after eluding Porteous for three days, the owl, which had likely chased his dinner into the warehouse, was captured with the help of 'an extremely fine net that is virtually invisible to the bird'. 'It's such an unnatural place, with very, very high ceilings and very, very low doors, and the doors are glass as well, so the birds can't understand that. So they get their way in there, and they just can't navigate their way out,' the rescuer told Yahoo. Video footage shows Porteous repeatedly trying to catch the owl as it flaps across the rows of shelves, before gently retrieving it with the large net. After cutting off the netting in the store's locker room, he found the bird was healthy and released it in the carpark. While one of the great perks of living in Australia is being able to observe its distinct wildlife, such incidents appear to be occurring more frequently. Last year Bunnings shoppers shared concerns for the welfare of a barn owl flying around a shop in Melbourne's west. Earlier this year, two Coles stores were visited by curious magpies, one of which frequented a Canberra supermarket for a month. Usually, Porteous responds to two to three call-outs for birds stuck in stores a year. In the past six months he has completed 10 to 12 rescues. 'Over the last few years I have done quite a lot, but it's stepped up a heap this year compared to others,' he told Yahoo. Grim photos prompt warning over common backyard act Warning over 'well-meaning' Aussie craze causing more harm than good Coles store outsmarted after magpie moves in for a month: 'More clever' However Porteous said he wasn't sure if the increase was due to it occurring more often, or if locals were simply more familiar with his work and know he can handle such situations. Other wildlife rescuers have also noted a jump in the number of birds getting caught in shops, with Nigel Williamson previously telling Yahoo it seems to be 'happening more and more often'. 'I've been getting birds out of supermarkets for 40 years now, but it does seem to me that I'm doing more and more of them as time goes on," he said in March. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
ABC News
23-05-2025
- ABC News
Man who allegedly filmed groping of Sunshine Coast women exercising refused bail again
A Queensland man accused of groping multiple women who were out exercising, and filming some of the alleged assaults, will remain behind bars after a fresh bail application was refused. Simon Ricardo Barra Yaite, 21, appeared in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court today facing eight sexual assault charges, with his hearing delayed to await a psychiatric evaluation. The court heard Mr Barra Yaite was first arrested in December, accused of allegedly grabbing multiple women by the buttocks who were out running or walking in Sunshine Coast suburbs including Mountain Creek and Buderim. A police prosecutor told the court today the incidents allegedly took place between August and November last year. Mr Barra Yaite is also accused of having filmed some of his alleged assaults before uploading them to a "sex chat", the court heard. The court heard after Mr Barra Yaite was released on bail in November 2024 he was re-arrested just six weeks later, accused of having groped a 17-year-old girl at her Sunshine Coast workplace. At the time of that alleged incident, Mr Barra Yaite had been subject to bail conditions, including a curfew. Today, Mr Barra Yaite appeared via video link from custody where he has been since December but did not speak throughout the proceedings. Instead, his defence lawyer sought to have him released on bail, telling the court he was at risk of spending too much time behind bars. Prosecutors argued in favour of Mr Barra Yaite remaining behind bars until his next court appearance. A police prosecutor told the court Mr Barra Yaite had admitted to police he filmed some of those alleged instances for the "purpose of re-watching them". "He referred to it as his secret second life," the prosecutor said. The court heard Mr Barra Yaite had made another "concerning" comment, saying his arrest had been required to stop his behaviour. A prosecutor described the evidence as "strong", including police having found a hidden folder on his phone where he had allegedly uploaded the videos of his offending. "These offences have been committed in circumstances where women should have been entitled to feel safe," she said. "He's come up behind them when they're vulnerable." Magistrate Anna Smith said she was concerned Mr Barra Yaite posed an unacceptable risk to the community, and his alleged offending was "more well thought-out than opportunistic". "What we have here is someone on different occasions planning, targeting vulnerable people on different days … and then uploading that for gratification … and keeping it himself for his own gratification," she said. Despite Mr Barra Yaite's lawyer proposing bail conditions, including a 24-hour curfew and living with his parents, bail was refused. He will remain behind bars until the matter is called again in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on June 9.
ABC News
22-05-2025
- ABC News
Sunshine Coast motorbike rider and her canine co-pilot fined by police
A Queensland woman has been fined for riding with her pooch on her motorbike in a harness she bought online. Officers from Sunshine Coast Highway Patrol stopped the motorbike rider and her furry friend at Alexandra Headland last Saturday to question the 35-year-old Maroochydore woman. She said she bought the harness, that allowed her dog to travel between her arms as she rode, online. "Yeah, no, I didn't know [it was illegal]," she said. "I bought this off Temu." In a video captured by police, Senior Sergeant Shane Panoho from Sunshine Coast Highway Patrol told the woman the device could place the rider and her pooch in harm's way. "I've never seen the whole harness thing before," he said. "You can't be riding around with the dog in between your arms. "If he starts moving around and going off anything can happen, and that is going to cause you to crash." In a statement, he said all riders had to be safe and responsible on the roads, "although the dog seemed to be comfortable on the bike". The rider was fined $376 for riding with an animal between her arms.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Dramatic moment cops turn up to a house and arrest accused peeping Tom after allegedly making a disturbing discovery on his phone
A man has been accused of secretly filming 40 people and multiple children inside their homes by peering through their windows. Queensland Police arrested a 32-year-old man at a Maroochydore home on the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday following a raid on February 10. It's alleged detectives under operation Xray Pelham found child exploitation material on devices during the earlier search. However, further analysis of the man's phone allegedly revealed photos and videos of about 40 people inside their homes, taken between late 2021 to February 2025. Police allege the people did not know they were being filmed. Officers were able to identify 23 of the people filmed, including four children, through door-knocking and extensive investigation. All the alleged victims lived in Maroochydore. About 17 people in photos and videos are still unidentified. It is unclear if any of the remaining alleged victims are children. 'Police will allege the man filmed people from outside their homes, largely through windows, on his mobile phone,' a Queensland Police spokesman said. The 32-year-old man was charged with 36 offences. Those included 29 counts of observations or recordings in breach of privacy, five counts of indecent treatment of children under 16 and one count each of indecent treatment of children under 12 and stalking. Footage showed the man being instructed to allow officers inside his home shortly before his arrest on Monday. He was refused police bail and is due to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday. Sunshine Coast CIB Officer in Charge Detective Senior Sergeant Robert Lowry said though work is ongoing to identify the remaining people, he's pleased with the current result. 'I appreciate this is a confronting incident for people living in Maroochydore and appreciate the community's cooperation as we completed our thorough investigations,' he said. 'Detectives will continue to prioritise the privacy and well-being of those affected.' Queensland Police urged anyone with information regarding the identity of the remaining alleged victims to contact Policelink or Crime Stoppers.
