Share plunge as Essel rejects Northern Iron

NORTHERN Iron shares have plunged by more than 30 per cent after a would-be suitor withdrew its takeover offer for the company.

India's Essel Mining had been conducting the second stage of its due diligence, after launching a takeover offer for Northern Iron in July.

However, Northern Iron learned on Saturday that Essel had walked away from a deal.

"On 3 November 2012, Essel Mining advised Northern Iron that following its stage two detailed due diligence investigations it was not in a position to submit a stage two proposal at this time,'' Northern Iron said in a statement today.

Northern Iron shares were at 39 cents, 37.1 per cent lower than Friday's closing, just before 1pm WST.

Essel Mining said its decision related to the continued variability in production at Northern Iron's Sydvaranger Project in Norway and the impact on costs.

Production performance for October at Sydvaranger had been hit by a delay in dewatering a pit and the failure of a clutch on a secondary mill, which restricted throughput rates.

Northern Iron said both issues had been rectified.

"Nevertheless, Essel Mining has advised the company that it will continue to monitor Northern Iron's progress with a view to assessing whether at an appropriate time, a level of interest may materialise,'' Northern Iron said.

On Friday, Swiss-based trading company Prominvest said it was continuing to work on a proposal but it did not submit a final bid in line with the timetable provided to the bidders by the company.

Still, Northern Iron said it is open to other offers, but it has concluded its strategic review.

The board said Northern Iron had a sound future as an independent company and that it is appropriately capitalised to pursue its near term objectives.

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Police retrieve body in Geraldton fire

POLICE have found a body believed to be that of a local real estate agent whose Geraldton home went up in flames on Friday night.

Local real estate agent Nora Allen has not been seen since fire engulfed her George Road home on Friday night causing an estimated $1 million damage.

Overnight, police found the body of a person inside the home, believed to be the occupant.

"Police can confirm that overnight officers located the remains of a person believed to be the 55-year-old female occupant in the George Road, Geraldton house," a police spokeswoman said.

"No formal identification has taken place."

Police will continue to conduct a crime scene examination of the house today in an effort to find out more about how the fire started.
 

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Cyclists take to the road for Tim Anderson

GRIEF-STRICKEN: Tim Anderson's parents speak to the media after the driver who killed their son Tim was jailed. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

POPULAR: Tim Anderson, 26, was killed when struck from behind during a training ride in Mosman Park in March. Source: PerthNow

MORE than 350 cyclists will take to the road this weekend in memory of Tim Anderson, who was run over and killed on his bicycle this year.

Mr  Anderson, 26, was killed by a drunk driver who slammed into him while he was riding along Curtin Avenue in Mosman Park.

On Saturday, more than 350 cyclists will ride from the Perth CBD to Curtin Avenue to honour his life.

"One of the main aims of the ride is to highlight the need for safe cycling and for motorists to be aware that cyclists are sharing the roads" Tim's father Ian Anderson said.

"Tim was such a vibrant young man with his whole life ahead of him.

"No family should have to go through the pain and suffering of losing someone is such tragic and avoidable circumstances."

Funds raised from the ride will go towards establishing a scholarship in Tim's name at Youth Focus, a group dedicated to helping vulnerable young people in Western Australia.

Tim Anderson had just completed a training ride for the Ride for Youth charity ride for Youth Focus when he was fatally struck in March this year.

The drunk driver who killed him, former army soldier Ross Thomas Murray, 28, was jailed for more than five years after admitting a series of charges, including aggravated dangerous driving causing death, driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to render assistance after an accident, failing to stop and driving without a licence.

A number of high profile people will be participating in the ride this weekend including professional cyclist Sam Davis, former AFL footballer Matthew 'Spider' Burton and former West Coast Eagles coach Ron Alexander.

People wishing to make a donation to the Tim Anderson Scholarship program can do so by contacting Youth Focus on 6266 4333 or visiting www.youthfocus.com.au.

For more information about this weekend's ride visit www.timsride.com.au.

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Rayney not cleared for court work - yet

BACK TO WORK: Cleared of a murder charge, barrister Lloyd Rayney wants to get back to work as soon as possible. Source: PerthNow

BARRISTER Lloyd Rayney may not be free to pick up his legal career where he left off just yet.

The Legal Practice Board of WA - which governs who can practise law in the State - is examining the judgement handed down in Mr Rayney's murder trial last week.

And the WA Bar Association, a professional body for barristers, said it would also consider the judge's findings.

In a brief statement today, Legal Practice Board of WA chairman Ian Weldon confirmed the board's move.

"The judgement in the case of The State of Western Australia v Rayney will be considered by the board,'' he said.

Mr Weldon said Mr Rayney had been banned from conducting jury trials until after his own trial ended.

Whether or not that condition - which was imposed on his practising certificate - lapsed with his acquittal last week appears to be a legal question.

The New South Wales Director of Public Prosecutions Office could not comment today on whether it was likely to appeal the judge's decision.

On Thursday, Justice Brian Martin, QC, found Mr Rayney not guilty of the wilful murder and manslaughter of his wife Corryn Rayney, but found he had engaged in "discreditable conduct'' by having the family's home telephone tapped.

He also found Mr Rayney had given false evidence to a Magistrate's Court hearing over other recordings of conversations.

"The accused has engaged in discreditable conduct, including knowingly arranging for illegal telephone interception, making a false declaration and giving deliberately false evidence to a court while on oath,'' he said.

In relation to the phone tap, Justice Martin said he was satisfied that Mr Rayney removed the recorder and digital notetaker from the roof of the family home and that he destroyed or placed the CDs of the recordings "beyond the reach of police''.

The false evidence related to a claim Mr Rayney made for professional legal privilege over conversations with his wife which were recorded on a dictaphone.

"The accused knew that the recordings were not protected from disclosure by reason of legal professional privilege and he knowingly made a false claim for that privilege,'' the judge said..

"The accused compounded his false claim by swearing an affidavit that was false in material aspects and followed up with false evidence.''

The WA Legal Practise Board has statutory responsibility for the regulation of all legal practitioners in WA.

Meanwhile, WA Bar Association vice president Peter Quinlan, SC, said the association was also set to consider the judge's findings.

"The decision....will be the subject of consideration by bar council as to whether any action should be taken by the WA Bar Association Inc,'' he said.

"Any action by the association in relation to one of its members must take place in accordance with the association's constitution and rules.''

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Murder trial told of gay love triangle

A MAN repeatedly broke down in a Perth court while talking about his part in a gay love triangle that ended in the death of one lover and a murder charge against another.

William Benjamin Campbell shed tears several times in Western Australia's Supreme Court today as he gave evidence about the death of his partner of 17 years, Kenneth Horack.

Qatar-born Mohammed Ahmed Almansouri is on trial over the fatal stabbing Mr Horack at the home the three men shared in Perth's western suburbs on August 4, 2011.

Almansouri kept his head down during proceedings until Mr Campbell was called to give evidence, briefly looking up at him before looking down again.

Mr Campbell told the court he lived in Texas with Mr Horack but moved to Qatar for work in August 2007, which was where he met Almansouri via a website in 2009.

He said both partners knew about each other and Mr Horack, who remained in Texas, was sad about his relationship with Almansouri.

"Kenny said 'when you're at home you sleep with me','' Mr Campbell said.

Almansouri accompanied Mr Campbell to Texas in April 2011 and stayed at the couple's home in a separate bedroom.

When Mr Campbell moved to Perth in June 2011, Almansouri set up the two-bedroom unit.

Mr Campbell said Almansouri complained about the living arrangements and said: "Why can't you just love me now?''

Mr Campbell was supposed to go to dinner with Mr Horack the night he died to celebrate his partner's 21 years of alcohol sobriety, but couldn't because he had a work meeting and later received a call from Almansouri around 7.15pm.

"He said 'You need to come home. I killed Kenny','' Mr Campbell said.

Under cross-examination, Mr Campbell said Almansouri often said to him: "Don't break up with Kenny. I don't want that.''

Mr Campbell said he and Mr Horack had undergone counselling and Mr Horack had asked him to break up with Almansouri, which he refused to do because he wanted to keep both relationships.

Almansouri was supposed to go home to Qatar when Mr Horack came to visit about a month later because Mr Campbell said he wanted to spend quality time with his partner.

Mr Campbell said Almansouri appeared to have gone missing for a few days around July 18, which prompted him to send a series of text messages asking Almansouri to come back because he was worried and felt like he was "dying''.

Earlier, in her opening address, prosecutor Laura Christian said when police arrived at the house around 7.30pm on August 4, 2011 they found Mr Horack slumped over and covered in blood with a knife nearby.

Mr Horack suffered 14 stab wounds, three of which were fatal on their own, including wounds to his head, neck, chest, arm, leg and shoulder.

It was not a pre-meditated attack but Almansouri's "pent up jealousy and anger boiled over'' and he attacked an unarmed Mr Horack, Ms Christian said.

In his opening address, defence lawyer Laurie Levy said his client did not act in a "jealous rage'' but did have a confrontation with Mr Horack.

He said it would be alleged that Almansouri was stabbed in the buttocks first and his client acted in self defence.

The trial continues.

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Abalone fisherman missing at sea in tragic season opener

THE opening of the abalone fishing season appears to have ended in tragedy after a 20-year-old man was washed away into rough seas while trying to snare the rare marine delicacy.

Despite high winds and rough seas, dozens of people were on the shoreline at Yanchep Lagoon and Mullaloo north of Perth early on Sunday, as one of the world's shortest recreational fishing seasons opened.

And the fears of surf life savers, who posted personnel at both spots in case of emergency, were realised after 15 people had to be rescued from the waters - and one remained missing.

A search involving three helicopters, specialist police divers, local police and marine rescue volunteers was launched, and continued all day.

It is understood the missing man, a Malaysian, was not wearing safety equipment when he was washed away.

The search was hampered by winds reaching 30 knots and swells up to 2.5m high.

The search was set to continue until dark, and then recommence on Monday morning, depending on conditions.
Police said the man, who was in a group of four, went missing between 7:30am and 8am (WST) after getting caught in a rip.

The three male survivors, two aged 29 and the other 24, were taken to Joondalup Health Campus and kept overnight.

Yanchep Surf Life Saving Club president John Heesters said another four people had to be rescued in the first 10 minutes of the abalone season opening, with 12 rescued at the shoreline 55km north of Perth.

Mr Heesters said the missing man was abalone fishing with a group of other people when he got into trouble.

"We had massive amounts of people go on to the lagoon reef to get their abalone," Mr Heesters said.

"Due to the conditions (and) a lot of people who fish for abalone can't swim, we did four rescues within the first 10 minutes of the season opening and another eight on top of that.

"Three of those required oxygen treatment and two needed to be taken away by ambulance.

"There is a really strong current out there, a permanent rip flows out of the lagoon all the time."

Mr Heesters said surf lifesavers tried desperately to find the missing man after one of his friends was brought back to shore with help from members of the public.

"I was treating a patient on oxygen here (on the beach) and members of the public are running down at the beach," he said.

"This guy (I was treating) was blue but he was breathing with oxygen so I thought right, I had to leave him and take off.

"I've run down the beach about 150m with my rescue board…I was knackered when I got down because we've been rescuing people all morning.

"This guy (the missing man's friend) has managed to get himself to shore, saying 'My friend, my friend' and pointing to where he was.

"He actually had got to the beach, seen that his friend was in trouble and went back to rescue him and then he got into trouble.

"I've paddled out to where he was pointing and sat in the same rip so I would drift in the same direction.

"I lasted about 12 minutes before was getting exhausted. I had to make a decision: Do I keep searching or save myself, so I came back to the beach."

Three more people were rescued at Mullaloo.

Abalone are reef-dwelling marine snails, and in WA are the target of a lucrative export commercial fishery as well as the restricted recreational fishing season.

The Department of Fisheries decreed this year's season would consist of a one-hour window from 7am to 8am on the first Sunday of every month until March 2013.

A licence to fish for abalone is required, with about 20,000 recreational licences issued each year.

WA Emergency Services Minister Troy Buswell said it was essential for fishers to ensure their own safety.

``Our coastline is very dangerous in Western Australia. The sea is very unpredictable and people need to be extremely cautious,'' he said.

"The sad reality is a number of people are lost at sea on an annual basis in our state.''

 

Office in charge of Yanchep Police Station Sergeant Peter Reeves said this afternoon there was still hope the man could be found alive.

"We will continue searching until we lose the light and then we will review the search and look at what we can continue on with,'' Sgt Reeves said.

"The conditions are not favourable, it's very rough out there - high winds.

"But we hold hope that he could come up further up the coast and we obviously have our search efforts involved in locating him.

"We always hold hope."

The RAC rescue helicopter, Two Rocks Volunteer Marine Rescue and Whitfords Volunteer Marine Rescue are among the emergency services helping search for the missing man.

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Man hit by car on Beaufort St

A MAN is in hospital with serious injuries after he was run over by a car on Beaufort St in Perth last night.

The incident happened about 10.40pm when a Hyundai Getz travelling north on Beaufort St hit the man who was crossing the road about 20m north of James St.

The pedestrian, who is believed to be a 55-year-old man, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Royal Perth Hospital by ambulance where he remains today.

Anyone with information regarding the crash or who saw the vehicle or the pedestrian involved prior to the incident are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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WA police pursuits in the spotlight again

SPOTLIGHT: A man has died and two officers were injured in separate police  pursuits in 24 hours. Picture: Michael Milnes Source: The Advertiser

POLICE pursuits in Western Australia will again come under scrutiny after one man was killed and two police officers were injured following two separate chases in less than 24 hours.

One man died and another was critically injured after police attempted to stop a white Holden Commodore sedan in Northam, around 100km northeast of Perth, on Friday night.

After failing to stop, the car crashed into a power pole, with the 20-year old male passenger dying as a result. The driver was admitted to Royal Perth Hospital in a critical condition.

Police immediately announced an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the initial attempt to stop the vehicle.

Less than 24 hours later, one officer was left with a knee injury and another bruising to his face, chest and legs, after an unmarked police car was rammed in the Perth suburb of Midland following a pursuit.

Police said that around 5.15pm (WST) on Saturday, an unmarked police car spotted three vehicles travelling in convoy, two of which did not have number plates.

Officers sounded lights and sirens, but all three cars sped away.

After two of the cars did come to a stop, the third rammed the police vehicle in an attempted to escape.

All three alleged drivers, which included two teenage boys, were arrested and charged with various offences including reckless driving and failing to stop.

The latest incidents come just days after WA Police Minister Liza Harvey revealed new proposed legislation following a spate of fatalities following police pursuits.

Mother Sharon Ann D'Ercole died back in April when a police vehicle ploughed into her car while chasing a stolen car in the Perth suburb of Dianella.

And last month, taxi driver Kuldeep Singh and his passenger British scientist Sean Barrett both died after their vehicle was struck by a stolen car which had earlier been pursued by police.

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Times jounalists scoop the pool

SCOOP: The Sunday Times news editor Anthony DeCeglie is named Journalist of the Year at the WA Media Awards. Picture: Bohdan Warchomij Source: PerthNow

THE Sunday Times news editor Anthony DeCeglie was named the state's Journalist of the Year at the WA Media Awards last night.

Reinforcing the newspaper's credentials as the state's leading newsbreaking organisation, The Sunday Times dominated the prestigious awards, picking up more prizes than any other media outlet, including the top awards in the news, sport, editing and photographic categories.

A series of breaking news stories about preventable suicides at Fremantle Hospital and the conduct of WA's Police Commissioner during the Hills bushfires secured DeCeglie the top prize, the Daily News Centenary Award for WA Journalist of the Year.

The judges said his work was "well out in front, doing investigative reporting that upheld the finest traditions of the craft".

DeCeglie also won Best Print News Coverage and Best Health Report.

Narelle Towie won two awards for her coverage of environmental issues in The Sunday Times, Best Environment Report and best Science Report.

Education reporter Yasmine Phillips won Best Indigenous Affairs Report for "Desert Dreams".

Photographer Daniel Wilkins secured the prized pictorial award of Best News Photographer for a dramatic image of a child refugee arriving at Christmas Island.

Multi-award winning cartoonist Greg Smith confirmed his funnyman status  by taking out Best Illustration.

Glen Foreman won Best Sports Award for a series of Hopman Cup scoops revealing the battle for WA's most prized tennis tournament.

And wordsmith David Cusworth was named WA Sub-Editor of the Year for the best three newspaper headlines.

The Sunday Times editor Chris Dore said: "It is fantastic to see the brilliant work recognised of so many of our dedicated and talented people. Our dominance in all the key newsbreaking categories clearly shows that while our newspaper is renowned for being a great relaxing read on a Sunday, it is also setting the news agenda in the state week after week through high-quality reporting and serious investigative journalism.

"The fact that The Sunday Times is recognised for dominating the media landscape while publishing just one day a week is a tribute to the exceptional standard of the paper every Sunday."

The columnist award named in honour of the late Matt Price, the legendary journalist from The Sunday Times and
The Australian, went to Andrew Probyn from the Canberra bureau of The West Australian.

The Clarion Award for Outstanding Contribution to Journalism was awarded to The West Australian's Steve Pennells.

The top TV news award went to Grant Taylor, from Seven News.

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Prospector missing in remote east

POLICE are searching for a man who went missing while prospecting near Menzies, 728km east of Perth, yesterday.

The man was with friends about 7km south of Menzies riding motorcycles and prospecting when he was last seen about 3pm heading into bushland.

He was reported missing to police last night after his friends could not locate him.

Leonora Police conducted a search of the area and were joined by police officers from Kalgoorlie who searched through the night.

An aerial search has not located the missing man.

SES volunteers and additional police officers from Kalgoorlie are heading to Menzies, which has a population of about 200.

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