Latest from 7NEWS
7NEWS
20 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Three men found guilty of chilling Queensland toolbox double murder case
Three men accused of killing two people by drowning them in a toolbox have been found guilty of murder. Cory Breton, 28, and Iuliana Triscaru, 31, were killed at Kingston in Logan, south of Brisbane, on January 24, 2016. Police divers found their bodies two weeks later locked in the toolbox submerged in Scrubby Creek. Stou Daniels, Davy Malu Junior Taiao and Trent Michael Thrupp have stood trial in Queensland 's Supreme Court over the past two weeks after pleading not guilty to two counts each of murder. The jury on Friday returned its verdict after deliberating since 10.45am on Wednesday. The trio are set to be sentenced at a later date. None of the accused elected to testify in their own defence. The jury previously heard evidence that the victims could have been alive when the toolbox was thrown into the water and weighed down with concrete. Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane previously told the jury he would allege Daniels and Taiao were liable for murder by forcing the victims into the toolbox at a Kingston unit in the hours before their deaths. Thrupp either threw the toolbox into nearby Scrubby Creek or was present when it happened, Crane said. Thrupp's defence barrister, Jessica Goldie, previously said other men, including Taiao or a prosecution witness, could have been a passenger in a utility vehicle that took the toolbox containing Breton and Triscaru to Scrubby Creek, rather than her client. Goldie said a claim by a witness that her client confessed to him he shot Breton and Triscaru in the head was a 'complete fabrication' and was contradicted by forensic evidence. Taiao's defence barrister, Lars Falcongreen, told the jury a 'star witness' for the prosecution had given evidence that showed his client had no knowledge of any plan to kill. Daniels' defence barrister, John Fraser, said his client had taken part in what he thought was a 'boot ride', which was a common punishment in drug-dealing circles involving detaining people to scare them. The trio faced a retrial this month after the Court of Appeal in July 2024 set aside murder convictions for Thrupp, Taiao and Daniels and ordered that they receive new trials. In 2021, Thrupp, Taiao and Daniels were each found guilty of two counts of murder. The 2024 Court of Appeal decision ruled there had been a miscarriage of justice on grounds including how the jury was directed in relation to the offences of murder. However, the trio's appeal against torture charges, relating to their assaults on Breton and Triscaru, was dismissed.
7NEWS
33 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Stou Daniels, Davy Malu Junior Taiao and Trent Michael Thrupp found guilty of Logan toolbox drowning murders
Three men accused of killing two people by drowning them in a toolbox have been found guilty of murder. Cory Breton, 28, and Iuliana Triscaru, 31, were killed at Kingston in Logan, south of Brisbane, on January 24, 2016. Queensland Police divers found their bodies two weeks later locked in the toolbox submerged in Scrubby Creek. Stou Daniels, Davy Malu Junior Taiao and Trent Michael Thrupp have stood trial in Queensland 's Supreme Court over the past two weeks after pleading not guilty to two counts each of murder. The jury on Friday returned its verdict after deliberating since 10.45am on Wednesday. The trio are set to be sentenced at a later date. None of the accused elected to testify in their own defence. The jury previously heard evidence that the victims could have been alive when the toolbox was thrown into the water and weighed down with concrete. Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane previously told the jury he would allege Daniels and Taiao were liable for murder by forcing the victims into the toolbox at a Kingston unit in the hours before their deaths. Thrupp either threw the toolbox into nearby Scrubby Creek or was present when it happened, Crane said. Thrupp's defence barrister Jessica Goldie previously said other men, including Taiao or a prosecution witness, could have been a passenger in a utility vehicle that took the toolbox containing Breton and Triscaru to Scrubby Creek, rather than her client. Goldie said a claim by a witness that her client confessed to him he shot Breton and Triscaru in the head was a 'complete fabrication' and was contradicted by forensic evidence. Taiao's defence barrister Lars Falcongreen told the jury a 'star witness' for the prosecution had given evidence that showed his client had no knowledge of any plan to kill. Daniels' defence barrister John Fraser said his client had taken part in what he thought was a 'boot ride', which was a common punishment in drug-dealing circles involving detaining people to scare them. The trio faced a retrial this month after the Court of Appeal in July 2024 set aside murder convictions for Thrupp, Taiao and Daniels and ordered that they receive new trials. In 2021, Thrupp, Taiao and Daniels were each found guilty of two counts of murder. The 2024 Court of Appeal decision ruled there had been a miscarriage of justice on grounds including how the jury was directed in relation to the offences of murder. However, the trio's appeal against torture charges, relating to their assaults on Breton and Triscaru, was dismissed.
7NEWS
33 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Manhunt underway after 19-year-old man stabbed at Wynyard bus stop in Sydney city centre
A 19-year-old man has been stabbed at a busy bus stop in Sydney's city centre. The attack occurred outside Wynyard Railway Station on Carrington St, at about 5am on Friday, with a line of blood later visible on the bus information board. The victim was found with a stab wound to his stomach near the corner of George and Angel streets just before 5.30am. Paramedics treated him at the scene before rushing him to St Vincent's Hospital for further care. Police quickly established a crime scene and launched an investigation. They are now appealing for help to identify a man seen nearby at the time. The suspect is described as being of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern appearance, with facial hair, wearing a beige hooded jumper and light-coloured pants. Anyone with information about the man or the incident is urged to come forward. Stream free on
7NEWS
33 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Teacher's aide Thomas Gottaas allegedly posed as teenage girl and ‘exploited' boys for explicit material
A former teacher's aide allegedly engaged in catfishing and blackmail to extort explicit images and videos out of multiple boys online. 'Want to make $$$,' Thomas Gottaas is accused of posting in chats on social media site Wizz while claiming he was 16 years old. He then moved discussions with his alleged victims to a private chat where the exploitation began, court documents reveal. 'Some chick is saying she has stuff of you,' he allegedly told one victim. 'She reckons she will show me if you don't message her.' At the time, the 19-year-old was working part-time as a teacher's aide at a primary school in Sydney 's southwest. Victims were told to message social media accounts on a second phone Gottaas allegedly used while posing as a teenage girl. Boys were told that images and videos of them performing explicit acts would be released to the public if they did not send certain material. Gottaas is also accused of engaging in child prostitution. He allegedly sent one victim small amounts of cash between $10 and $30 for explicit videos and paid a second $105 to send two 'extremely graphic' videos between March and November 2024. Messages found on the 19-year-old's phone show him giving directions about what he wanted the boys to do, court documents reveal. Four boys aged between 11 and 16 have been identified by police as Gottaas' alleged victims. Each were known to Gottaas. Officers found alleged child abuse material of four more unknown boys after they seized his phones and laptops. 'The evidence shows that (Gottaas) had a sexual interest in young boys aged below 18 and was actively seeking them out online to source sexually explicit material from them,' court documents filed by prosecutors said. Investigators also allege one victim attempted to contact Gottaas' mother, Renae Franklin. 'Is Tommy your son? He has asked me to do things online. I am only 16,' the boy wrote. 'Who is this?' Franklin allegedly asked before blocking him. Gottaas is living under effective home detention with Franklin and his grandfather in Wollongong after being granted bail in early June. The ex-teacher's aide is described as 'socially awkward and shy' in bail submissions filed by his defence team, which also suggest he has undiagnosed autism. He is facing one count of producing child abuse material, six counts of possessing child abuse material and two counts of engaging in child prostitution. No pleas have been entered. The case will return to Campbelltown Local Court on July 9. In an emergency, call 000.
7NEWS
33 minutes ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
AFL and Western Australian government on verge of State of Origin announcement: ‘Very keen'
An AFL State of Origin game will be staged in Perth in February under a plan being hatched by Western Australia's government. WA's deputy premier and sports minister Rita Saffioti says the AFL is 'very keen' on the concept. 'It's not a done deal,' Saffioti told reporters on Friday. 'But I know the AFL was very keen, and we're very keen.' Fresh from Perth hosting game two in rugby league's State of Origin on Wednesday night, Saffioti has set her sights on an AFL equivalent. Origin games haven't been played in the AFL since 1999, but Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia have a strong tradition in representative matches. 'We're working on a proposal,' Saffioti said. 'Everyone is very excited about having a WA State of Origin game in the AFL, there's some good discussions happening at the moment. 'We think this would be an incredible drawcard for the state. 'I know many of the players are actually excited, particularly those based over east, are very keen to play for their state, so I think there's a huge push from the players.' The AFL has been contacted for comment. Saffioti pitched the proposal to AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon, who put State of Origin on the agenda during the success of the Indigenous All Stars game last February, also held in Perth. 'I can't rule it in and I can't rule it out, but it will certainly be a conversation I'd like to have with the players and the clubs,' Dillon said in February. 'There seems to be a bit of a groundswell for it.' The WA government believed staging a game during the AFL's pre-season in February was the perfect time. 'Pre-season is a good time to do it, as opposed to in-season ... the clubs are already playing pre-season games,' Saffioti said. 'And we saw the Indigenous All Stars, we had some incredible players out there ... it makes a bit of sense to do it during February.'
