What killed Peaches Geldof?

Peaches Geldof, the daughter of musician Bob Geldof and the late Paula Yates, has died at the age of 25.

"Unexplained and sudden" ... Peaches Geldof has died aged 25. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images

POLICE investigating the death of Peaches Geldof found no evidence of hard drugs, no suicide note, and no visible signs of injury, it's been claimed.

Geldof, the daughter of musician Bob Geldof and late TV presenter Paula Yates, died aged 25.

The British TV presenter, writer and socialite was found dead by emergency responders at her home in Kent.

Kent Police have ruled out foul play, but are treating the tragic death as "unexplained and sudden".

The Coroner is looking into whether the young mum died of natural causes, according to The Sun.

GALLERY: The life and times of Peaches Geldof

BATTLES: Demons that haunted Peaches

TRAGIC: Tiger Lily hit by curse of the Geldof clan

There had been fears for her health after pictures showed her alarmingly thin.

Alarmingly thin ... Peaches Geldof posted this picture on Instagram on a girls night out on Friday night, with the caption: "Classy cocktailz." Source: Instagram

Her last public appearance is believed to have been last Thursday at a London Fashion Festival show.

A post-mortem is due today. But a full police investigation into her death is considered unlikely.

A law enforcement source at Kent Police said that paramedics found the married mother-of-two's body after a woman called and said she couldn't reach her.

Geldof was discovered just hours after she posted a photo of herself as a baby with her late mother to Instagram.

On the same day, pictures and video of her two children were also posted on her Instagram page.

A heartbroken Bob Geldof said: "We are beyond pain. She was the wildest, funniest, cleverest, wittiest and the most bonkers of all of us.

Sudden death ... Peaches Geldof, seen with husband Thomas Cohen at a 2013 London fashion show. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images

GALLERY: Stars that died too soon

"What a beautiful child. How is this possible that we will not see her again? How is that bearable?" the Irish singer wrote.

"We loved her and will cherish her forever. How sad that sentence is.

"(Husband) Tom (Cohen) and her sons Astala and Phaedra will always belong in our family, fractured so often, but never broken. Bob, Jeanne, Fifi, Pixie and Tiger Geldof."

Close family ... Peaches Geldof (right) pictured with her father Bob Geldof and sister Pixie Geldof at the NME Awards 2006 in London. Picture: AP Source: AP

Geldof is survived by husband Thomas Cohen, the lead singer of S.C.U.M., and their two sons Astala Dylan Willow, 20 months, and Phaedra Bloom Forever, just 10 months.

Tom was seen walking his parents' dog near their home in South East London today.

Wrapped in a long black coat, he was with a man, believed to be his dad, Keith, who said: "We just need some time."

She is also survived by sisters Fifi Trixibelle and Pixie, and half-sister Tiger Lily Hutchence Geldof.

Cohen, who Geldof married in 2012, said: "My beloved wife Peaches was adored by myself and her two sons Astala and Phaedra and I shall bring them up with their mother in their hearts everyday. We shall love her forever."

Heartbreaking ... Peaches Geldof's last tweet was this picture of her as a baby in the arms of her late mother, Paul Yates. Picture: Instagram Source: Supplied

The beautiful socialite was the second daughter of the late Paula Yates, who tragically died of a drug overdose in September 2000 when Geldof was just 11.

Yates had been devastated over the death of her partner, INXS frontman Michael Hutchence.

Speaking to Elle Magazine in 2012, Geldof said it took years to come to terms with her mother's death.

"I remember the day my mother died, and it's still hard to talk about it. I just blocked it out. I went to school the next day because my father's mentality was 'keep calm and carry on'," she said.

Tragic death ... A February 25 photo of late TV host and model Peaches Geldof at a Paris fashion show. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

"So we all went to school and tried to act as if nothing had happened. But it had happened. I didn't grieve. I didn't cry at her funeral. I couldn't express anything because I was just numb to it all. I didn't start grieving for my mother properly until I was maybe 16."

In her last tweet on Sunday, Geldof posted a picture of her as a baby in the arms of Yates, with the caption "Me and my mum".

She also posted videos on Instagram of herself playing peek-a-boo with her sons just one day before her death.

The videos are thought to be the last time her voice was heard in public.

In one called 'peel-a-wid' she plays with her son in the bath.

As he sits laughing, she hides the camera from her son before moving it back up towards his face.

He can be seen giggling along as he plays with his mum.

In another, one of her sons appears to be sat on a bed as she plays the game again

Geldof spoke in her last interview of how she owed her life to her children and said: "I am not about to let them down, not for anyone or anything."

She said that becoming a mother had healed a "rudderless and troubled" childhood, and that she wanted everyone to know parenthood was "the best thing you've ever done".

The interview, less than a month before her death today, with Mother & Baby magazine was centred on 'attachment parenting' — keeping her two sons with her virtually all the time.

Geldof moved to Brooklyn, New York in 2008 after marrying American musician Max Drummey from the band Chester French. They separated a year later and divorced in 2011.

She married Cohen a year later.

In 2010, Peaches was reportedly involved in a "heroin-fuelled one-night stand" at Hollywood's Scientology Centre.

According to Gawker, a Reddit user identifying himself as Thatcoolguyben wrote in a piece with accompanying semi-nude pictures of Peaches: "At this point in my life I was very into all drugs, as was she. She told me she had a bit of heroin she brought with her from the UK and asked me if I was game."

He claimed that after sleeping together the pair then woke up in a Scientology centre, where fresh convert Peaches had taken them to undergo a detoxification program called Purif.

While Peaches' lawyers denied she attended the Scientologists' 'detox' clinic with the man who claims to have been her lover, she confessed to being a member of the Church of Scientology.

In October 2009, she said: "I've been one for a while now. I was confused about what path to go through and I feel like I needed a spiritual path."

Geldof said she had experimented with drugs as a teenager, but was "never that wild".

Tributes for Geldof poured in on social media.

Celebrity agent Jonathan Shalit told ITV News he "never heard a bad word" about Peaches.

He said that Sir Bob was "one of the most remarkable men alive in Britain today".

Mr Shalit added that it is "beyond unfair" that Sir Bob should have endured such tragedy in his life, referencing the death of Peaches' mother Paula.

Her former publicist Ray Levine told the BBC: "I'll always smile, because she was a very endearing, charming young lady."

Scene ... Peaches Geldof was found dead inside her Wrotham, Kent home on Monday afternoon. Picture: AP Source: AP

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Hunting for clues in the deep

Two more acoustic signals consistent with a black box flight data recorder have been picked up.

THE search for debris from Flight MH370 is set to drag on, even as aircraft and ships pursue their most "positive lead" yet.

Officials have spelled out the challenges of the mission — amongst them ships picking up their own signals as they search for traces of the missing Malaysia Airlines jet.

Meanwhile divers have also joined the hunt, slipping into the water to inspect potential pieces of wreckage.

Today, Defence Minister David Johnston told reporters in Perth that aircraft and ships are "flat out" trying to progress the latest "positive lead" — the detection of signals that might be from the plane — but he described it as a "herculean task".

"I want to confirm that we have at least several days of intense action ahead of us," he said, reporting the weather is reasonable.

Yesterday it emerged that the Australian ship Ocean Shield had made two signal detections that were consistent with transmissions from a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder.

Retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, who is heading up the Australian search effort, today said a towed pinger is still trying to re-locate the signals and will do so for "several days".

An underwater vehicle known as Blue Fin 21 will only be deployed when that is finished, or unless another transmission is located, he added.

Looking for clues ... Able Seaman Clearance Diver Matthew Johnston is towed by Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield's fast response craft as he scans the water for debris of Flight MH370. Source: Supplied

He admitted there have been "false leads" in the past and Ocean Shield needs to be allowed to steadily continue its work trying to find another signal.

"Some … have been actually transmissions from the ship that was actually searching and it got its own transmissions back again," the Air Chief Marshal said.

"So funny things happen in that environment and you can't assume things."

It was not clear if he was referring to Ocean Shield or a Chinese vessel that also reported picking up hopeful traces.

Houston, head of the Joint Agency Coordination Centre, argued silence is needed — so the area can't become crowded with other ships dropping things into the water.

While much of the searching is at a hi-tec level, the human eye is invaluable.

Spotters on planes and ships have now been joined by divers, shown in photographs released today by defence bosses.

The divers are taken out to look at any suspect pieces of debris seen from the vessels.

Inspecting potential signs of wreckage ... Able Seaman Clearance Divers Matthew Johnston and Michael Arnold from Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield. Source: Supplied

The new hope of progress came after two separate signal detections occurred within the northern part of the defined search area, off Western Australia.

The first was held for more than two hours, the second for about 13 minutes.

The UK Telegraph reported that the location of these two signals matched the point at which the aeroplane made its final electronic "half handshake" with a satellite.

The paper quoted Chris McLaughlin from British satellite company Inmarsat, who said the location of the signals detected by Ocean Shield appeared to coincide with the site when the plane made an electronic transmission at 12.19am (GMT).

Close encounters ... a fast response craft from Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield tows Able Seaman Clearance Diver Michael Arnold as he searches for MH370 debris. Source: Supplied

Inmarsat detected this electronic "half handshake" in its research two weeks ago.

Houston said the effort to find MH370's black box will soon head underwater with the autonomous Blue Fin 21 — but when is unclear.

"I would imagine we would be getting very close to that point," he told ABC Radio this morning, but argued it can't be done while the towed pinger locator is still searching in the area.

When it is deployed it will do 20 hour sweeps to collect data and pictures, he said, but can't do both at the same time.

Houston admitted it's a race against time.

"There is a chance that the locator beacon is about to cease transmission or has ceased transmission."

He said ocean drift and the passage of a cyclone through the area in the last few days means the likelihood of discovering wreckage on the surface is "diminishing with time".

Search continues ... a helicopter leaving the flight deck of HMAS Success. Picture: Department of Defence / CPOIS / David Connolly Source: AFP

But the Air Chief Marshal admitted the detection of signals is the promising lead he's been waiting for.

"Yes, I think it is," he said.

"We have picked up a transmission from the deep."

"It's in the right frequency, it sounds like a man made beacon and I think it is the most promising lead thus far."

"What we need now is more confirmation in terms of finding something visually."

He stressed the next stages will be "finely balanced", with the water depth of 4,500 metres the same as the range of 'Blue Fin 21'.

The Air Chief Marshal said search teams haven't found anything "significant" overnight.

He expressed his concern there haven't been any further signal detections.

"The worry we have is that we haven't been able to reacquire it," he told 3AW radio.

He stressed the position of the signals need to be fixed to narrow the area where Blue Fin 21 will be deployed.

"Underwater searching with an autonomous underwater vehicle takes an awful long time so it's not like using an aircraft. You literally crawl along the ocean floor."

He was asked whether there was anything else, other than a black box, which would explain the signals already picked up.

"No I don't believe so," the search co-ordinator said.

"I think that the signals that we picked up sounded like a beacon. It's what we would expect."

EARLIER: 'Miracles do happen' says Malaysia's Transport Minister

The airliner's black boxes normally emit a frequency of 37.5 kilohertz, and the signals picked up by the Ocean Shield were both 33.3 kilohertz.

But officials contacted the device's manufacturer and were told the frequency of black boxes can drift near the end of their shelf lives.

The Ocean Shield was slowly canvassing a small area trying to find the signal again, though that could take another day, The divers are taken out to look at any suspect pieces of debris seen from the vessels.

Candlelight vigil ... Malaysia's acting Transport Minister has said 'miracles do happen'. Picture: Vincent Thian Source: AP

The Blue Fin 21 autonomous sub can create a sonar map of the area to chart where the debris may lie on the sea floor.

If it maps out a debris field, the crew will replace the sonar system with a camera unit to photograph any wreckage.

But that may prove tricky, given that the sub can only dive to about 4,500 metres — the approximate depth of the water. That means the vehicle will be operating to the limits of its capability.

Waiting for the breakthrough ... Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, head of the Joint Agency Coordination Centre. Picture: Greg Wood Source: AFP

Yesterday the British ship HMS Echo followed up on two separate sounds heard by a Chinese ship about 555 kilometres away from the Ocean Shield.

The patrol vessel Haixun 01 detected a brief "pulse signal" on Friday and a second signal on Saturday.

The crew of the Chinese ship reportedly picked up the signals using a sonar device called a hydrophone dangled over the side of a small boat — something experts said was technically possible but extremely unlikely.

The equipment aboard the British and Australian ships is dragged slowly behind each vessel over long distances and is considered far more sophisticated.

Yesterday's search effort included 12 planes and 14 ships searching three designated zones.

All of the previous surface searches have found only fishing equipment or other sea trash floating in the water, but have found no debris related to the Malaysian plane.

United in prayer ... Chinese relatives of passengers on MH370 take part in a prayer service at the Metro Park Hotel in Beijing. Picture: Wang Zhao Source: AFP

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Thorpe ‘quite sick’ in Sydney hospital

Ian Thorpe is reportedly under intensive care in Sydney after contracting a bug while overseas. Source: Getty Images

SWIMMING great Ian Thorpe is "quite sick" in a Sydney hospital after contracting two potentially deadly infections and will never swim again competitively, his agent says.

The 31-year-old five-time Olympic gold medallist contracted the bugs after undergoing a series of surgeries on his shoulder at a hospital near his home in the Swiss town of Ronco sopra Ascona.

He has returned to Sydney and is receiving treatment at an intensive care ward.

Thorpe has received a number of visitors in hospital and is said to be in good spirits, despite the apparent seriousness of his illness.

Thorpe has also been battling depression and left Australia to live in Switzerland. Source: News Limited

"It's serious but it's not life-threatening," Thorpe's agent James Erskine told AAP.

"He's contracted two forms of bugs in hospital.

"He's undergone two or three operations over the last two months so ... I mean bad luck.

"He's quite sick but that's the situation."

The Daily Telegraph lead on January 31. Source: Supplied

Mr Erskine rubbished reports Thorpe could lose the use of his arm because of the infections but said Thorpe would never swim again competitively.

"From a competitive point of view — he will not be swimming competitively again, I don't think," Mr Erskine added.

"The shoulder operation was a major operation, he's got as many plates as Barry Sheene (the now deceased world champion motorcycle rider)."

It's understood the infection contracted by Thorpe is similar in nature to the potentially deadly Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) superbug that has swept some hospitals in Europe.

It is the latest upset in Thorpe's life.

His father revealed in February that Thorpe was battling depression.

The popular swimmer sought help in early 2014 after being found disoriented near his parents' home in southern Sydney, having taken a combination of antidepressants and medication for a shoulder injury.

Thorpe was sent for medical assessment to Bankstown Hospital and then entered a rehabilitation program.

The swimmer made an ill-fated attempt to compete at the 2012 London Olympics.

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On the brink of a breakthrough

Authorities say submarines searching for MH370 will only be deployed when another signal is detected.

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Edward Potts-Szoke, a naval flight officer with Patrol Squadron (VP) 16, monitors his workstation on a P-8A Poseidon during the search for MH370 yesterday. Picture: 2nd Class Eric A. Pastor Source: Supplied

Naval air crewman, Operator 2nd Class Mike Burnett, a sailor attached to Patrol Squadron (VP) 16, participates in a "foreign object damage walkdown" outside the P-8A Poseidon before the search mission yesterday. Picture: 2nd Class Eric A. Pastor Source: Supplied

FOR these US crew members tasked with helping to solve the world's greatest airline mystery, there is a sense that a major breakthrough could come "any day now".

The day before, the Joint Agency Coordination Centre, which is managing the multinational hunt for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, announced the Australian defence vessel Ocean Shield had detected two acoustic events in the far north of the search zone.

These sounds, authorities said, were consistent with transmissions from a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder. And it came a day after Chinese state media announced one of its ships had detected pulse signals in the region.

■ HUNTING FOR CLUES IN THE DEEP

It was, in the words of Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, one of the most promising leads this international search effort has had so far. And the War Eagles, as they are also known, are aware of it.

Finding any debris at this point would help authorities narrow the vast search zone, which is now located, 1650km north-west of Perth.

"The reality is, it could be any day now," Lieutenant Clayton Hunt, the flight's 28-year-old pilot cautiously explained.

The belief of all those looking for MH370 is that at some point it will be found.

And this is what spurs this squadron on.

Most of those on board the P8 Poseidon on Monday were part of the crew which began scouring the Malacca Strait a week after the plane went missing.

Since then, most have completed around 14 missions – some 16 – but none of those searches have found that definitive piece of the puzzle.

So when US Navy air crewmen Dave Everly spotted something bright green floating just below the surface almost four hours into the nine-hour flight, he called out and the location was immediately marked, and the information relayed to the Australian coordination centre.

The P-8A Poseidon – a purpose built Boeing 737 with advanced radar and sonar equipment that is also capable of detecting and destroying a submarine out of the water – was flying just 700ft above the water. It then made a sharp turn and headed back over the stretch of water to get another look.

Sailors attached to Patrol Squadron (VP) 16 hard at work on board a P-8A Poseidon yesterday during the search for MH370. Picture: 2nd Class Eric A. Pastor Source: Supplied

It made this run four times and even climbed back up to 1500ft – still very low compared to the 30,000ft these aircraft usually travel – to allow the plane's camera to get a better look.

But even with this advanced equipment, electronic warfare operative Christopher Walsh, 23, explained it was more likely that the human eye will spot any MH370 debris rather than his radar equipment.

This is because debris, such as fabric, will float just below the surface of the water making it harder for radar to detect, he added.

Despite this, whenever someone spots something that isn't a white cap, the froth produced by waves crashing into each other, it is treated as a possible find.

"I don't know what it was, whether it was seaweed or fabric, but it didn't have a definite shape," air crewmen Everly said after the crew finished scouring around 20,000sq kms of the Indian Ocean yesterday. "I saw it three times."

Lieutenant Clayton Hunt, Patrol Squadron (VP) 16, (third from right) talking to his crew and media on board P-8A Poseidon before it left Perth International Airport yesterday. 2nd Class Eric A. Pastor Source: Supplied

And it wasn't the first time the air crewmen, who spent up to an hour at a time perched over a window staring out looking for any sign of MH370, has spotted debris since this long search began.

On previous missions he has sighted numerous items in the water including yellow rope, however none have turned out to be from the missing plane.

While disappointing, it doesn't deflate him or the rest of the crew.

According to Lt Hunt, not finding major debris was not a failure, it was still a success.

"Every square mile of water we did cover indicated it wasn't there, so we know it's not there, and can rule it out," he said.

"Today's mission was right on par with that, so that's a success."

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Shark-kill extension bid to 2017

A large Great White caused Perth beaches to close.

THE Barnett Government has sought Commonwealth approval to continue its shark-kill program for a further three years as crews today attempt to catch a four-metre great white off Perth.

Shark drum lines would be deployed 1km off beaches in Perth and the South-West between November 15 and April 30, referral documents show.

After three years, the controversial shark attack mitigation measure would be subject to review.

The papers reveal new detail about how the shark-kill would continue next summer, including:

● Catch data will be published each month on the Department of Fisheries website;

● to avoid entanglement with migrating whales, there will be no drum lines between May and October;

A shark caught on drum lines off Perth last week. Picture: Water Inspired Juan Oliphant.

● dead or destroyed sharks, which are not protected under State or Federal law, used for re-baiting of drum lines;

● carcasses may be provided to WA shark researchers;

● minimum of 10 "observer trips" to ensure drum line contractors comply with requirements;

● an examination of great white shark numbers is due out in 2014 and;

● if Old Dunsborough beach enclosure trial is judged a success, more enclosures could be identified.

Thousands protested against the shark-kill at a rally at Cottesloe Beach earlier this year.

The report cities similar schemes in Brazil and South Africa where attempts are made to relocate dangerous sharks away from popular beaches.

The State Government's application to the Environment Department said it was "unlikely such an approach would be appropriate for dealing with captured sharks in WA".

"Transporting large sharks the significant distance necessary to get them away from WA coastal waters would be logistically impractical and could lead to the mortality of sharks in transit," the document states.

"Moreover, from bather safety and public liability perspectives, determining acceptable release locations especially for potentially dangerous white sharks would be extremely challenging and would reduce the amount of time available for contractors to check other hooks and release non-target sharks."

WA Labor leader Mark McGowan said he hopes the Federal Government knocks back the bid to extend the shark cull.

Fisheries officers haul a hooked tiger shark onto its vessel before releasing it. Picture: Neil Henderson

"The policy has failed and there are far more effective things that can be done to keep swimmers safe," he said.

The Greens' Lynn MacLaren added: "I am appalled that the State Government are even pursuing this. The drum lines have been proven to be ineffective and unpopular."

The shark-kill sees any bull, tiger or great white sharks bigger than three metres caught on baited drum lines shot dead and dumped further out at sea.

Between January 26 and March 16, 112 animals were caught on the hooks, including 105 tiger sharks.

Of these, 61 tiger sharks were released alive as they were under the target three-metre target size. However, the total mortality is likely to be higher "given the very large hook size", the document said.

As of mid-March, bycatch included mako shark (two), dusky whaler (one), spinner shark (one) and northwest blowfish (one). In recent weeks, conservationists observing the drum lines off Perth have also photographed sting rays hooked by the lines.

It is not surprising, the report continues, that no great whites have been caught in the initial three-month trial as "it was predicted that few would be captured at this time of the year".

It suggests the WA great white population was likely to be in the order of "at least a few to several thousand individuals".

"Collectively, the drum line program will operate for a short period of time in each of just three years," the referral document concludes.

"The footprint of the operation is extremely small compared to the distribution of the species most likely to be directly affected (white and tiger sharks) with relatively small numbers of individuals likely to be captured and even less killed compared to their total stock size.

"The program will therefore generate only negligible impacts on each of the affected species."

GREAT WHITE TRACKED OFF METRO BEACHES

The referral comes as a "rapid response" was earlier today launched in an attempt to capture a four-metre great white off Perth.

Fisheries said extra drum lines had been set up and could remain in place for up to an hour.

A spokesman said the great white would be destroyed if caught.

Anti-cull activists followed the great white's movements along the coast in a bid to usher it away from the drumlines.

Skipper Jodie Hayes said Fisheries had deployed drumlines at Scarborough, Floreat, City Beach, Swanbourne and Port Beach.

"We won't interfere with Fisheries in any way, we just want to shepherd it out to sea and away from the drumlines," she said.

Surf Life Saving WA said the shark was first seen 200m off Trigg Beach, before moving 400m off Scarborough Beach, prompting the City of Stirling to close both beaches.

Shortly after 12.30pm, Surf Lifesaving WA tweeted that those beaches had reopened and the shark had moved to Floreat Beach.

City Beach and Floreat beaches were closed, but have since been reopened.

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‘She knew she was carrying drugs’

In an exclusive interview with Renae Lawrence from Denpasar, Lawrence admitted that Schappelle Corby had told her that she had smuggled drugs into Bail on numerous occasions. Courtesy: TEN Eyewitness News

Renae Lawrence has spoken out from Bali's Kerobokan Jail, alleging former inmate Schapelle Corby confessed to her. Source: News Limited

CONVICTED drug smuggler Renae Lawrence has delivered a startling confession from inside Bali's Kerobokan Prison, saying that former friend Schapelle Corby "knew" she was carrying drugs into the country.

In a secretly filmed video obtained by Network Ten and played in part on tonight's Eyewitness News, Lawrence can be seen talking to a person off camera.

"[Schapelle] did a good job of keeping her secrets. She let one slip one night," she said.

Lawrence, who spent eight years behind bars with Corby and is still serving her drug smuggling sentence, said she "wasn't really sure" why Corby had confessed to her.

"She said that she knew the marijuana was in the boogie bag, but the person who was supposed to be there at the airport at that time didn't show up for work, or couldn't be there for some strange reason, I'm not sure," she said.

"She told me and another prisoner that she'd done it more than this time. She'd got away with it before. She said she'd brought the drugs three times. The first time she didn't know anything until she got to the airport, but the other times she knew."

"She said she'd used [drugs] since she was a teenager."

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Lawrence also asserts that Ms Corby consciously "…acted crazy, she actually said it herself, she played crazy so she would get more sympathy and hopefully time off from [inaudible] the President of Indonesia."

"She put on more of an act when someone important came in like the doctor or the jail boss. She wasn't crazy, she just acted like it."

Schapelle Corby visiting her parole officer in Bali this week. Source: News Limited

Lawrence also clarified the misconception that she and Corby didn't get along.

"We weren't enemies like…the media said. We were actually friends most times. Sometimes we'd have arguments but that was because people would speak about us and it wasn't true."

Ten's Eyewitness News stated that Lawrence had been unaware she was being filmed at the time of the discussion, but having been made aware of the tape's existence, had reportedly said she stands by her comments. The initial video comes as part of a larger interview with Lawrence that it is believed Lawrence was paid for.

The Corby family have released a statement denying Lawrence's allegations which reads, in part:

"Schapelle denies ever making any such confession to Renae Lawrence or to anyone else. The further claims by Renae Lawrence that Schapelle had done so on many occasions are preposterous, maliciously false and a creation of her own fantasy.The actions of the Ten Network in procuring and presumably paying for this interview, are extremely hurtful and are causing Schapelle and our family great anxiety and distress.

"The credibility of Renae Lawrence should be seriously questioned and unsubstantiated allegations should not be made simply for the sake of ratings and money."

The Lawrence interview has raised questions of whether Lawrence received money for the interview from Ten and, if so, if she could be in breach of Australian Proceeds of Crime Laws which prevent payments to criminals.

Yesterday, a Senate inquiry in Canberra heard evidence about the Seven Network's dealings with the Corby family.

Commercial director Bruce McWilliam said the company had suffered damage to its corporate image and that AFP search warrants were executed in an aggressive manner, involving more than 30 armed police.

Lawrence and Corby became close friends during their time in prison together. Source: Supplied

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Beating the public housing odds

Helen Humes is a grandmother and has purchased her first home, after living in public housing for 36 years. Here she's photographed with her niece Shauanna Humes-Smith, Picture: Marie Nirme Source: News Limited

IT didn't take long for Helen Humes to realise the odds were stacked against her when she moved into a Balga housing project in the 1970s.

She was a single woman with an infant. And she was indigenous.

"I really felt it was a kind of privilege to be given a home, but I knew then that here I was, a young Aboriginal woman with a child, a single mum, all the stigma and negative stereotypes would be attached to me,'' Ms Humes said.

"And they were, for a while. But I showed them that we're no different to them.''

Ms Humes has spent the past 40 years on the front lines of WA's public housing system.

Now a grandmother of three, she has just bought her own home in Koondoola in Perth's northeastern suburbs.

It's a modest place, with three bedrooms and a tin roof.

But it's proof West Australians can live through the public housing system and become homeowners.

"I never, ever thought I'd own my own house,'' she told The Sunday Times. "But the main thing was to set an example for my son, and my nephews and nieces.''

Ms Humes called the Balga property her home for eight years. Mostly made up of single parents and migrants, the group of Wanneroo Rd townhouses was often filled with the laughter of children playing together. But crime, racism and anti-social behaviour were also prevalent.

"Balga at the time was really quite scary,'' she said. "There was a lot of crime. And it was nothing for the police to just cruise past, want to know who you are, what you were doing, ask, 'Have you got ID?'.

Helen Humes outside her house in Koondoola. Picture: Marie Nirme Source: News Limited

"We saw different migrants moving through the place. I lived next door to an Armenian family, and they suffered a lot more abuse than we did. As a child, I grew up with racism, and then to see that directed at another ethnic group, I was shocked.''

Ms Humes and her son Petrus then moved to a cramped two-bedroom home in Nollamara, where Ms Humes also cared for two of her nieces.

Towards the end of the 1980s, Ms Humes was offered a new three-bedroom house in Mirrabooka. She moved in with seven children under the age of 10.

"At the time, I had the care of my son, my two nieces, and my brother's three children, as well as a friend's daughter,'' she said. "I just don't know how I did it."

Ms Humes spent 26 years in that house. She brought her son up and saw him have children of his own. She cared for relative's children as well as her parents. She also started her masters degree in social work. And she found a job working as a child cultural development adviser at Djoorminda Centrecare.

The job meant she was over-income and no longer eligible for public housing.

Assistance from Indigenous Business Australia and the Department of Housing's Housing Pathways unit helped Ms Humes buy a three-bedroom Koondoola home at the end of last year at age 56.

"I had to really convince myself that I could do it, that I wasn't helpless,'' she said.

Department of Housing service delivery general manager Steve Parry said there were about 69,000 people living in public housing across WA. There are more than 43,000 people on the Department of Housing accommodation waitlist.

He said the Housing Transitions Team, which was introduced in 2012, has helped 179 former public housing tenants transition into affordable housing, including community housing, rentals and home ownership.

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MH370: ‘Our most promising lead’

Angus Houston confirms the Ocean Shield has detected signals consistent with aircraft black boxes, showing reporters the key area on a map.

IN A major development in the search for MH370, Angus Houston has confirmed the Ocean Shield has detected signals consistent with aircraft black boxes, describing the lead as the most promising yet.

Air Chief Marshal Houston called the development significant, saying "this is the most promising lead, probably in the search so far, it's probably the best information we've had".

The search coordinator told reporters more signals have been detected by a towed pinger locator deployed by the Australian vessel Ocean Shield.

"Today, I can report some very encouraging information which has unfolded over the last 24 hours," he told reporters in Perth.

Retired Air Chief Marshall Angus Houston has decribed the development as the most significant yet.

Air Chief Marshal Houston said the signals are "consistent with those emitted by aircraft black boxes."

The towed pinger locator on the deck of the Australian vessel Ocean Shield. Source: Supplied

"Two separate signal detections have occurred within the northern part of the defined search area."

The first was held for more than two hours, the second for about 13 minutes.

"On this occasion, two distinct pinger returns were audible."

He said both would be consistent with transmissions from the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder.

This map shows the new search zone in the hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. Source: News Corp Australia

Air Chief Marshal Houston described the find as "the most promising lead" yet.

"We haven't found the aircraft yet," he stressed, arguing further confirmation is needed.

Air Chief Marshal Houston said the position of the signals would need to be fixed before an autonomous underwater vehicle 'Blue Fin 21' could be deployed to locate wreckage.

"The area in which the signals have been received has a depth of approximately 4,500 metres," he warned, adding it is also the "limit of capability of the autonomous underwater vehicle."

A crew member reads through his notes onboard a RNZAF P3 Orion. Source: AFP

He further argued it could take time to establish with certainty if the detections are from MH370.

"You're right, the life of the batteries must be getting somewhere close to the end of life," he admitted, when asked about the black box.

"We're already one day past the advertised shelf life. We hope that it keeps going for a little bit longer," he said.

HMS ECHO ENTERS SEARCH ZONE

CNN reports that British navy ship HMS Echo has entered the zone where Chinese patrol vessel Haixun 01 picked up two underwater signals only two kilometres apart.

The Australian vessel Ocean Shield is expected to reach the search area later today or tomorrow.

Both the Ocean Shield and HMS Echo have deep-sea listening equipment.

A Royal Australian Navy Seahawk searches for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.i Source: AFP

Twelve aircraft and 14 ships will be part of today's search effort, covering an area of approximately 234,000 square kilometres.

Weather is predicted to be good, with afternoon showers not expected to affect the search.

SEARCH: MH370 'flew around Indonesian airspace'

THEORY: Did MH370 fly to Diego Garcia?

CNN is also reporting that Flight MH370 may have flown around Indonesian airspace on the night it disappeared, in what may have been a deliberate attempt to avoid radar detection.

In this image taken from video, a member of a Chinese search team uses an instrument to detect electronic pulses while searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Source: AP

A senior Malaysian government source said the missing jet made the detour after it had left the range of Malaysian military radar.

Hopes of breakthrough ... Chinese vessel the Haixun 01 detected the signal hours after it picked up an initial pulse signal. Source: AFP Source: AFP

CHALLENGE OF THE SEARCH

IT will be "incredibly challenging" to retrieve MH370's black box from a stretch of Indian Ocean where a Chinese vessel may have finally located the missing airliner.

The section of ocean, about 2000km northwest of Perth, in which the Haixun 01 has picked up two possible signals from the black box of the missing Boeing 777-200ER is about 4500m deep.

If the signals are proven to be from the airliner Air Chief Marshal Houston said it would be "very demanding" to retrieve the black box recorder and other wreckage.

"The water in which the Haixun 01 is working at the moment is very, very deep," he said.

New leads ... an Australian Air Force Orion plane taking off from Pearce Airbase in Bullsbrook, 35 km north of Perth. Picture: Tony Ashby Source: AFP

"I think it is in the order of 4500m and that is incredibly deep. Any recovery operation is going to be incredibly challenging and very demanding and will take a long period of time," he said.

According to James Cook University marine geologist Dr Robin Beaman, the search area forms part of the Perth Abyssal Plain — a vast stretch of flat, muddy ocean bottom.

It lies about 60km east of the Brouwer Trough, an ocean trench that drops as low as 5000m below sea-level.

While relatively free of geological features that would make it difficult to access the black box flight recorder or aircraft wreckage, Dr Beaman said the depth would present problems.

An observer looks out a window onboard a RNZAF P3 Orion during the search operations for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in Southern Indian Ocean on April0 4, 2014. Source: Getty Images

"The challenge is that it's a lot deeper than anywhere they have been looking before," he said.

"It's right at the bottom of a very large basin."

For example, 4500m is the maximum depth at which a Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle carried by the Ocean Shield can operate.

The 6.4 metre-long robot is an invaluable tool that is capable of staying submerged for 25 hours at a time, deploying its sensors to search and map 40 square miles of sea floor per day.

However, Dr Beaman said recovery teams would be aided by a good understanding of the area, with an Australian research team mapping it as recently as 2011.

"Our knowledge of this area is as good as anywhere in this stretch of ocean," he said.

Big guns ... a Chinese Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft flies over Perth returning from search operations. Source: AP

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Road-rage driver gets 13 years for killing fireman

Mark Noormets was a devoted father of four and a volunteer firefighter who lost his life at age 51. Source: Supplied

The fatal crash scene near Byford. Source: Supplied

A DRUGGED driver who killed an off-duty fireman in a head-on crash in a road rage pursuit has been jailed for 13 years.

Rodney Allen Beard, 36, was sentenced today in the District Court over the death of Mark Noormets, 51, in December 2012.

The fatal crash happened on the South Western Highway in Byford when Beard's car veered on to the wrong side of the road as he chased another male driver in a road rage incident.

Beard hit Mr Noormet's car head on. Mr Noormets — a father of four and volunteer firefighter — was killed instantly.

Beard was high on methylamphetamine at the time of the crash.

He originally pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and doing an act likely to endanger the safety of another person.

But he pleaded guilty to both charges on the second day of his trial earlier this year.

Beard will be eligible for parole in 2025.

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Wildcats snatch win from 36ers

Perth's James Ennis salutes the crowd during his 30-point performance. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: News Corp Australia

Perth's James Ennis with the lay up. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: News Corp Australia

A SUPERB performance by James Ennis helped the Perth Wildcats move to within one win of a championship after edging Adelaide 92-85 in the opening Grand Final game at Perth Arena.

Ennis scored 19 of his game-high 30 points in the second half, while Jermaine Beal added 19 to help Perth take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series in front of 13,291 fans.

Cats vice-captain Greg Hire (10 points, seven rebounds) was the unsung hero of the night, providing the X-factor as the home side held off a vicious late surge to claim the win.

■ GALLERY: All the action from the Wildcats defeat of the 36ers

■ Wildcats legend Mike Ellis urges James Ennis to ignore MVP snub

■ Phil Smyth says history can repeat for Adelaide 36ers against Perth Wildcats

■ Re-live the game - see the LIVE feed below

36ers skipper Adam Gibson bravely led the late fightback and finished with 13 points and nine assists before fouling out, while Daniel Johnson had 18 and eight boards.

Perth Wildcats fan welcomes his side to the court. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: News Corp Australia

Playing his first game since missing out on the league's MVP prize last week, Ennis made an emphatic statement that he is the competition's best player with a fine all-round effort that included 10 rebounds.

Adelaide coach Joey Wright voiced his displeasure at Perth getting 47 free throw attempts, with the visitors able to muster just 13.

"If (Ennis) can play 37 minutes, don't foul, and shoot 17 free throws, we can't stop him," Wright said.

"If he can play that many minutes and don't foul, and get fouled every time you breathe on him, we can't stop him.

"There was a whole country watching this game. As impartial as I or anybody else tries to be, it was on TV tonight."

When asked why the foul count of 32-19 was lobsided, Wright replied: "I have no idea.

"This crowd is great, and they're boisterous, but it seems sometimes... I don't know... they do a great job.

"40 free throws... I'm at a loss.

"I thought that we drove to that lane quite a bit, and there was quite a bit of contact and it just wasn't called."

Perth coach Trevor Gleeson said his side had adjustments to make for Game 2, but was thrilled to get a first-up victory.

"We knew that (Adelaide) was going to come at us, and I was pretty pleased with the resilience they showed there to get the win," he said.

"We've certainly got to keep the ball movement and attacking the rim. James was sensational attacking the rim tonight."

The Cats held an 12-point lead entering the final term, and looked like they would be untroubled when Hire sunk a dagger triple from the corner.

But consecutive threes from Gibson gave the visitors a glimmer of hope.

Gary Ervin was blocked twice in two minutes as Perth's defence held strong, before a Jason Cadee triple closed the gap to six with 90 seconds remaining.

BJ Anthony and Johnson then made huge baskets to cut the deficit to just three with 18 seconds left.

Perth's Shawn Redhage takes a shot. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: News Corp Australia

However, Beal held his nerve at the free throw line to help the home side seal the deal.

The teams meet again for Game 2 in Adelaide on Friday, with the series returning to Perth on Sunday if a decider is required.

Ennis signalled his intentions in the opening 30 seconds of the game with a three-point play after absorbing contact from Johnson to bank a floater.

A fired-up Ennis then waved his arms to rev up the crowd while standing at the free-throw line.

But it was WA native Johnson who did the early talking, draining 10 points – including a pair of long bombs – in the opening five minutes.

Cats skipper Damian Martin was typically active from the get-go, soaring for an offensive putback and then producing a fine block on Johnson at the other end.

The Wildcats entered the clash with a formidable 13-2 record on its home court this season, and showed why they've been so tough to beat as they put the foot to the floor in the second term.

Martin picked up his third foul midway through the second quarter, but Beal showed he was more than up to the task of running Perth's offence as he helped the home side push their lead into double digits.

Beal added nine points for the term as he burned the Sixers from long range.

Perth's Jermaine Beal looks to get past Adelaide's Daniel Johnson. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: News Corp Australia

Hire provided an important cameo with characteristic hustle and a five-point burst to help the Cats take a 51-40 lead into intermission.

Perth ruled the offensive boards 13-4 in the first half, setting up 15 second-chance points to Adelaide's two to prove the difference.

A Redhage triple straight after the resumption hurt Adelaide's chances of a comeback, but Gibson was keeping them in touch at the offensive end.

However, the Sixers were having trouble containing Ennis down low.

The star import powered past Gary Ervin to finish on a fast break to bring the crowd to its feet – chanting "MVP!" – as Perth edged towards a series lead.

The minor premier Wildcats are looking to secure an NBL-best sixth title, while Adelaide can join Perth on five championships if they pull off the upset.

Follow Chris Robinson on Twitter: @CJKRobinson

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