Selina's Christmas miracle

Selina Bello, the stoic young Perth woman who was stabbed at her Como hair salon earlier this year while pregnant, posted this beautiful picture on Facebook this week of her and her newborn son Emilio. Source: Supplied

HER smile says it all - a second chance at life.

Six months ago, as Selina Bello lay in hospital fighting for her life after being stabbed at her Como hair salon she couldn't have imagined what it would feel like to hold her unborn baby in her arms.

But, this Christmas nothing will be able to separate Ms Bello and little Emilio.

"I thank god every day for the second chance we have been given and plan to live my life to its fullest," Ms Bello yesterday told The Sunday Times.

"If this year has taught me anything, it's to value those closest to you because you never know what tomorrow may throw your way."

Ms Bello and her mother Angela Ferullo were allegedly attacked by a man on the morning of June 24 as they worked at their Como hairdressing salon on South Tce.

Ms Ferullo, a 43-year-old mum of four, died in hospital from her injuries.

Ms Bello, 23, was five months pregnant at the time.

She suffered serious injuries and spent more than a week in hospital.

There were concerns that she would lose her precious baby.

This week a friend of Ms Bello's posted this picture on Facebook of her holding her first child, Emilio, in her arms.

Not surprisingly the photograph, which Ms Bello gave permission for The Sunday Times to publish in today's newspaper, attracted nearly 100 "likes" from family and friends since it was posted.

"2013 has been a horrible year which has challenged me in every aspect of my life," Ms Bello said.

"I'm certainly looking forward to welcoming 2014 on a positive note with my beautiful son, partner and family."

The events of June 24 resulted in an outpouring of emotion from the community - from grief over the loss of Ms Ferullo to praise for 67-year-old grandmother Peggy Kew, who threw a chair at the alleged attacker and demanded he leave.

Ms Kew was stabbed too.

"All I could think of was picking up the chair and hitting him on the head and that's what I did,'' Ms Kew told The Sunday Times in an exclusive interview earlier this year.

In the days after the tragedy, bouquets of flowers lay outside the salon filled with heartfelt messages.

One read: "Rest in peace Angie. Your kindness and support will never be forgotten. Wonderful mother, much respect."

Police have charged Ms Ferullo's former husband with murder and attempted murder of Ms Bello.

He's also been charged with the aggravated wounding of Ms Kew.

He has not yet entered a plea to any of the charges.

He is due in court again on January 29.

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Binge eating epidemic ignored

Close-up of a woman eating a hamburger Source: Supplied

BINGE eating is now the most common eating disorder in the country - yet resources to treat the illness are "woefully inadequate" in WA.

A WA expert says the disorder, which can have severe psychological and physical consequences, often goes undiagnosed until people reach their 30s and 40s.

University of WA School of Psychology associate professor Sue Byrne said often binge eaters are just considered "greedy".

A Health Department report tabled in Parliament earlier this month estimates as many as 1850 women and 2000 men could be suffering from Binge Eating Disorder in WA.

This is based on a national prevalence rate of 2.3 per cent, which exceeds the prevalence of both anorexia nervosa (0.3 per cent) and bulimia nervosa (0.9 per cent).

Associate Professor Sue Byrne said resources for all treating eating disorders in the state were "woefully inadequate", but finding treatment for BED was especially difficult.

"In WA we only have one public eating disorder service which is the Centre for Clinical Intervention," she said.

"Up until now we haven't treated Binge Eating Disorder at that service because we were already too overrun with other eating disorders.

"(BED) is now recognised as an actual eating disorder just like Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa, but at the moment, in the public sector there is no treatment for it."

BED is characterised by frequent episodes of eating big amounts of food in a short period of time, but unlike Bulimia Nervosa, is not associated with purging.

Feeling out of control, ashamed and disgusted are common symptoms of the disorder, as is a preoccupation with food or body shape and secretive hiding of food or wrappers.

Associate Professor Byrne said BED could be "extremely distressing" for sufferers of the condition and often lead to obesity.

"Any eating disorder has serious psychological consequences as well as medical consequences, particularly anorexia and bulimia, but also Binge Eating Disorder in that it is associated with weight gain," she said.

"We often see people with Binge Eating Disorder who don't present until they are in their 30s or 40s, but when you talk to them they have actually been binge eating since they were quite young.

"They don't think that it's a disorder, they just think that they are greedy or people have told them that they're lazy or greedy or they think they can't control their food intake so it's not always recognised."

She said when available treatment for the condition was highly successful.

Australian Medical Association WA vice-president Michael Gannon agreed finding treatments for patients could be difficult.

"It's certainly the case that it's frustrating for GPs to gain access to these services," Dr Gannon said.

"For example there is a clinic a Princess Margaret for Children and Adolescents with abnormal eating behaviours and the waiting times for access to these clinics are very poor.

"Equally its actually very difficult, even for those in our community (find it easier) to avail themselves of health services, find it hard to see private psychiatrists for things like Bulimia and Anorexia.

"Stories of people trying to get access to services are well known."

A WA Health spokeswoman said in addition to the CCI the Government also provide an eating disorder treatment service for people under the age of 16.

"The Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) Eating Disorders Program consists of a specialised multidisciplinary team and accepts referrals for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with eating disorders up to the age of 16," she said.

"Binge Eating Disorder is one of several eating disorders treated by the CAHS Eating Disorders Program. In cases where a young person with an eating disorder is medically compromised, they will be admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital for medical stabilisation."

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Perth hospital to be understaffed

The interior of the new Fiona Stanley Hospital Intensive Care Unit. Source: Supplied

The new Fiona Stanley Hospital emergency triage for adults. Source: Supplied

The new Fiona Stanley Hospital staff work station. Source: Supplied

WA's new flagship hospital will be short by 115 full-time medical staff when it opens - under the best case scenario.

An internal report obtained by The Sunday Times shows there is a "high risk" Fiona Stanley Hospital will face extensive staff shortages across a number of specialities, including burns, obstetrics and almost all areas of nursing.

The hospital was due to open in April next year, but the Barnett Government has been forced to push that back to staged openings from October.

The document reveals the Government is looking at several ideas to stretch staff at the hospital. These include getting nurses and doctors to work across multiple health sites in the area, increasing the number of foreign and junior doctors and asking employees to broaden their areas of expertise.

Other hospitals in the south metro area face impacts with the Health Department conceding its "once-in-a-generation" shake up of the South Metropolitan Health Service is still mostly unplanned.

State rehabilitation services, currently housed at Shenton Park, and the Royal Perth Hospital burns unit will be among the services to relocate to FSH between October 2014 and April 2015.

Even if all clinical staff working at these and other moving services make the switch with their respective units the new hospital faces a "clinical staff gap" of 115 full-time equivalent staff.

A SMHS spokeswoman refused to confirm the projected shortage to The Sunday Times because she said workforce planning was still in progress.

But she conceded a number of areas had been identified as "of concern". These included burns, obstetrics, ultrasound operators and many areas of nursing such as neonatal, emergency medicine and theatre.

The spokeswoman also confirmed forcing staff to work across multiple sites was being considered.

It is projected the new $2 billion hospital, which reached practical completion this month, will require 3208 full-time health staff when it's fully up and running. These include 727 medical appointments, 646 medical support staff and 1835 nurses and midwives.

Opposition health spokesman Roger Cook said it was "extraordinary" that the Government still didn't have definitive plans on how to staff a big hospital due to be treating emergency patients by early 2015.

"The hospital, which will remain patient-less for the next 12 months, looks like it will also lack the staff it needs to deliver proper health services," he said.

"The failure in workforce planning has been a hallmark of this Government's governance of the health system. "

The Sunday Times has been asking the Health Department for details of its plans for the SMHS reconfiguration since October. Each time the agency replied that details were yet to be finalised.

The Sunday Times this week obtained the latest working document under Freedom of Information laws - a "draft" report written in December 2012.

Australian Medical Association WA vice-president Michael Gannon said doctors were concerned about the "absence of detail" being provided by the Health Department.

"Although it might have appeal to a bureaucrat in East Perth (head office) to have someone where they can, at the push of a pen, redeploy to Rockingham or Fiona Stanley or Bentley (hospitals), that doesn't show respect to people who work in those places," he said.

Health Services Union WA state secretary Dan Hill said the report showed a "lack of appropriate and timely planning" by the Health Department.

"I think it's a real concern for the community," he said.

An extra $75 million has been allocated by the Barnett Government for the commissioning of the FSH and reconfiguration of SMHS, according to the midyear budget review released this week.

But it said the true cost of delivering this reform was unknown.

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Police vow hoon crackdown

Police have vowed to crackdown on hoons. The Sunday Times and PerthNow have launched the Summer Slowdown road safety campaign. Source: Supplied

MORE than 1800 cars have been seized by WA police this year for hoon offences as senior officers vow to "ramp up" intelligence gathering on lunatic drivers this summer.

It comes as a police crackdown on speeding drivers north of Perth this week nabbed hundreds of motorists blatantly breaking road rules - including one driver who was allegedly driving 107km/h above the speed limit at 6.30am.

The figures were released to The Sunday Times and PerthNow as part of our Summer Slowdown road safety campaign.

The campaign is a call for West Australians to remain vigilant behind the wheel during summer, often the most dangerous time on our roads.

Superintendent Mick Emmanuel said so far this year 1826 cars had been seized for hoon related offences.

He's flagged an "aggressive targeting" of hoons by police this summer.

"We are only going to push harder on hoons, our intelligence on them is ramping up and we will target them aggressively and we make no apologies for that," Supt Emmanuel said.

Results from a speed camera operation north of Perth over several days this week clearly showed many drivers have a long way to go when it comes to adhering to simple speed limits.

The speed camera was placed on Marmion Av in Tamala Park on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

On Tuesday, 100 cars were flashed for exceeding the 80km/h limit.

One was allegedly doing 187km/h at 6.30am. Another car was clocked doing 139km/h.

Both cars will be seized by police under hoon laws and impounded for 28 days.

On Wednesday, 176 cars were flashed by the camera.

By Thursday, the number of cars caught speeding had plunged to just eight, a clear sign that drivers using the road were beginning to realise the police action.

Supt Emmanuel said police deployed the camera on Marmion Av following a string of complaints from residents in the area about speeding drivers.

He described the speeds of some of the cars as "totally unacceptable."

"It goes without saying this sort of behaviour is totally irresponsible," he said.

"Not only do they put themselves at risk and the passengers in their vehicle at risk but they are putting the wider community at risk and that is totally unacceptable."

Supt Emmanuel said members of the public should call police if they want a speed camera placed in their suburb, as was the case with the Marmion Av operation.

"We encourage people to let us know what is happening in their area," he said.

Supt Emmanuel said one of the key messages police wanted to get out to the public when they were driving was just to be "patient."

"We need to be diligent because now we are into the festive season, more people are off work, more people will be celebrating with their family and friends, so there is more reason for us to take care on the roads, exercise patience and look after each other," he said.

To keep the safe driving message at the forefront of drivers' minds, The Sunday Times and PerthNow will continue to publicise our Summer Slowdown message for the next three months.

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Arrest in alleged cop car joy ride

Police pursuit in Lancelin. The alleged offender was arrested and placed in the back of a police vehicle. The man allegedly stole a police car and led officers on a chase through the town for several hours. Source: Supplied

A WANTED man led police on a crazy six-and-a-half hour chase after evading officers and allegedly stealing a police car in Lancelin today.

The main road into the sleepy seaside town was locked down as extra police, including a plane and helicopter, tracked the stolen vehicle.

The bizarre sequence of events started when officers tried to arrest the man in the morning.

Police alleged the offender, who was known to them and wanted on outstanding warrants, was driving a different vehicle which sped past a patrol car 15kms outside of Lancelin. The officers followed the vehicle until it became bogged near bushland.

Police pursuit in Lancelin. The alleged offender was arrested and placed in the back of a police vehicle. The man allegedly stole a police car and led officers on a chase through the town for several hours.

Police claim the man fled on foot and managed to evade officers by hiding in terrain. He was then spotted and confronted by one officer who tried to arrest him. Other police swooped, but attempts to catch the man failed.

It is alleged he then jumped into a police vehicle and sped off into nearby bushland prompting a massive land and air search.

Police Airwing kept watch from above while two police cars pursued him on the ground. Road spikes were also used in a bid to halt the vehicle.

Police pursuit in Lancelin. The alleged offender was arrested and placed in the back of a police vehicle. The man allegedly stole a police car and led officers on a chase through the town for several hours.

Witnesses claim they saw offender driving the stolen police car up and down Gin Gin Road, around the local shopping centre, as well as local streets.

Resident Lloyd Jones told The Sunday Times he and his wife watched the drama unfold from their front lawn.

At one stage it appeared the offender almost taunted police by slowing down then speeding up as they closed in on him around the Lancelin shopping centre, he said.

Police pursuit in Lancelin. The alleged offender was arrested and placed in the back of a police vehicle. The man allegedly stole a police car and led officers on a chase through the town for several hours.

"This pursuit continued around us for about 40 minutes," Mr Jones said. "The car made numerous runs up and down the main street going in both directions. He went up and down Gin Gin Road, around the shopping centre at great speed while he was being chased by two pursuit cars.

"At one stage when he came out of Bandy Avenue he had to break because he nearly T-boned a four-wheel drive. At another stage one of the lead police pursuit cars started to try and pass or get alongside him. But the stolen car veered sharply right and the pursuing police car dropped back to avoid a collision.

"It also appeared at some stages the alleged offender slowed his car down, seemingly taunting or daring the two pursuing cars to pass him."

Police pursuit in Lancelin. The alleged offender was arrested and placed in the back of a police vehicle. The man allegedly stole a police car and led officers on a chase through the town for several hours.

A WA Police spokeswoman said police managed to trap the man in a residential street. Following a brief negotiations they arrested him just after 3pm.

Police were unable to comment on whether an internal investigation into the incident had been launched.

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Firearm found down well in Pruiti death case

TWO men have appeared in court charged over the alleged murder of Michael Pruiti, whose body was found in the Perth hills after he went missing two months ago.

Detective Senior Sergeant James Bradley holds images of Michael Pruiti, whose body was found late last week in Karragullen bush. Two men have been charged with murder over his death. Source: Supplied

Police forensic officers at the site where Michael Pruiti's body was found in dense Karragullen bush. Source: News Limited

POLICE investigating the alleged murder of Michael Pruiti, whose body was found in the Perth hills last week, have a recovered a firearm today.

Officers found the firearm at a home in Carmel late this afternoon down a well.

Dredging equipment had to be used to recover the firearm from the well. Officers close to the case said the firearm was recovered about 2.30pm today.

PerthNow understands however the owners of the Carmel property were unaware of the firearm being there.

Police have not yet disclosed what sort of firearm it is.

Mr Pruiti, 31, was last seen in Forrestfield on October 23.

His remains were found in bushland in Karragullen last week. Police remained there today collecting evidence.

Three men have been charged in connection with Mr Pruiti's death.

Ben Mansfield, 33, appeared in Perth Magistrates Court yesterday charged with murder. He was not required to plead to the charge and was remanded in custody.

Christian Gillmore, 32, faced a charge of being an accessory after the murder and was also remanded in custody.

Both men are due back in court next month.

A 19-year-old Pickering Brook man appeared in court today also charged with Mr Pruiti's murder. Daniel Marchesano was not required to plead to the charge and was remanded in custody.

Yesterday, officers spent the day searching for evidence at several sites in Perth's hills.

A Pickering Brook home was searched as was the semi-rural property in Carmel.

Mr Pruiti, 31, had been missing since October 26. His body was found last week in bushland in Karragullen, about 40km east of Perth.

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Shark barrier ready to go

The newly installed Eco Shark Barrier at Coogee Beach. Picture: Nine News Perth. Source: Supplied

WA's first shark barrier is expected to be operational next week.

Work on the final stages of the 300m nylon underwater fence is taking place along Coogee Beach today and will continue over the course of the weekend.

The state government and the City of Cockburn approved a five-month trial of the barrier at the beach even though there has never been a fatal shark attack recorded at Coogee since records began.

Concerns have also been raised the barrier may cause harm to local marine life however the Perth company which designed the barrier, Form Designs, says it was designed with the "specific intention" to be eco-friendly to sea creatures.

The newly installed Eco Shark Barrier at Coogee Beach. Picure: Nine News Perth.

The barrier, which is made up of interlocking cross connectors, will be assembled on the beach over the next few days. It will be held into place by anchors and buoys 75 metres from the shore.

An official unveiling of the barrier is expected on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, four northern beaches, from City Beach to Brighton, were closed for several hours early today after a tagged tiger shark was detected in the area.

The new shark barrier being installed at Coogee Beach, south of Perth, the first in WA after a spate of fatal shark attacks. Picture: Stewart Allen

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Deli owner sued over sperm in water

A Perth deli owner accused of selling bottled water tainted with his semen to a female customer isn't facing criminal prosecution but is still being sued by the woman. Source: News Limited

A PERTH deli owner accused of selling bottled water tainted with his semen to a female customer isn't facing criminal prosecution but is still being sued by the woman.

On December 6, Alicia Cooper's lawyers Slater and Gordon lodged a writ and statement of claim on the woman's behalf in WA's District Court, almost three years after the incident occurred.

Her husband Travis bought the bottle of water from the Dianella business on December 10, 2010 and placed it in their fridge at home, and when she consumed it about three days later, she became alarmed by its bad taste and smell.

A complaint was lodged with the City of Stirling and reported to police, who referred it to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The statement of claim says that a DNA test confirmed the semen belonged to the deli owner Dahn Le. But the DPP determined that the incident could not be defined as an offence under the Criminal Code.

And the City of Stirling could not take action under the Health Act because the 12-month statute of limitations had run out while the police investigation was under way.

"It's extremely frustrating for her,'' Slater and Gordon's Karina Hafford said.

"When something like this happens, a person would automatically assume that there's some criminal penalty or sanctions that would occur.

"The civil action is about compensation, but it's also about justice."

She said the legal firm was surprised to discover the incident fell between the cracks in WA's Criminal Code.

"It's simply extraordinary.''

The Dianella deli is now under new ownership.

Ms Hafford said Ms Cooper had previously sold the same brand of bottled water as part of her job, but could no longer do so and had to quit working in customer service.

Three years later, she continues to suffer flashbacks when she sees the brand in shops, and is fearful of eating or drinking anything that has not been prepared in her home.

The claim is for loss of earnings, pain and suffering from psychological injuries, and exemplary or punitive damages.

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WA Stolen Generation test case fails

The Collard family has failed in a Supreme Court bid for a Stolen Generation compensation claim. Source: News Limited

AN Aboriginal family split up by the West Australian government's past policy of forcibly removing indigenous children has lost a Supreme Court bid for compensation.

Donald and Sylvia Collard, from the wheatbelt town of Kondinin, were seeking redress from the WA government after their seven children were removed without consent by state officials and placed in state care between March 1958 and December 1961.

The action was considered by the Aboriginal Legal Service of WA (ALSWA) to be a test case for thousands of other indigenous West Australians.

But today, WA Supreme Court Justice Janine Pritchard dismissed the case.

Members of the Collard family were present to hear the outcome and were devastated by the decision, ALSWA chief executive Dennis Eggington said.

They had shown unwavering courage and resilience in sharing their traumatic stories for the case, for the benefit of all members of the stolen generations.

``This test case was more than a case for the Collard family alone,'' Mr Eggington said.

``It was a test case for thousands of our people who were also stolen from their families and we knew that this case could have the capacity to rights the wrongs of the past.

``You cannot underestimate how difficult this process was for family members but they persevered and can hold their heads high in the knowledge that they played such a significant role in this historical case.''

The Collard family is taking time to consider the decision, which was explained in a complex 410-page judgment, and whether to take the matter further.

Lavan Legal, which lodged the writ in May 2010, acted on a pro bono basis.

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Lowe and behold: new Glory coach

New Perth Glory soccer coach Kenny Lowe speaks to the media at McGillivray Oval Mt Claremont Western Australia. Picture: Alf Sorbello Source: News Limited

NEW interim Perth Glory coach Kenny Lowe put his hand up for the job full-time before he even took his first training session on Friday afternoon.

As forecast by PerthNow on Tuesday, Lowe will take over from sacked coach Alistair Edwards.

He has been appointed for the rest of the season but wants to stay for longer.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't want it. It's a waste of time just coming for a giggle isn't it,'' Lowe said.

Captain Jacob Burns (centre), at Perth Glory training at McGillivray Oval, is set to return to the starting line-up. Picture: Bohdan Warchomij

"Obviously I want to stay as long as I possibly can.''

Lowe was confident the club would move on quickly from this week's dramas.

Captain Jacob Burns is set to return to the starting line-up and will lead the team out against Adelaide United on Sunday.

Incoming Glory coach Kenny Lowe, pictured in a post on Twitter with his family, will lead Perth Glory this weekend.

Edwards refused to comply with a list of demands provided by the club, which wanted to rein in the scope of his power, leading to his departure.

Lowe, a former assistant coach at Glory under Dave Mitchell, is the head of the successful WA National Training Centre.

Burns said he was confident Glory would be focused on the job at hand on Sunday.

"What's in the past is in the past. We have a responsibility to the club, to our fans and to the community to get our season back on track,'' he said.

"Everyone here wears the purple shirt proudly and with honour, and we'll go out there and show that this weekend.''

Legal and payout issues regarding Edwards' three-year contract are yet to be resolved.

Earlier this week, Glory CEO Jason Brewer denied "the tail was wagging the dog'' at the club despite the move appearing to be a stunning victory for player power.

The Sunday Times and PerthNow revealed last weekend that there was a bitter player-driven revolt against Edwards - as distinct to purely a personal feud between coach and captain as portrayed by Edwards - and that it was likely only one of the pair could survive at the club.

Glory launched crisis talks on Saturday after players directly challenged Edwards in the team's AAMI Park dressing room following Friday night's 2-0 loss to Melbourne Victory.

Ill feeling had been building for some time before Friday's flashpoint.

Glory players claimed that the situation was "an absolute farce'' and that Edwards had "lost almost the entire dressing room''.

The concerns of players revolved around perceived nepotism shown by Edwards, who signed his sons Cameron, 21, and Ryan, 20, before the season, inconsistencies in selection and the coach's man management style.

Some players even believe the tactical balance of Glory's match-day squads this season has been compromised by Edwards' desire to include both of his sons.

The handling of contract negotiations with defender Steve Pantelidis, and his subsequent departure to Malaysia, also angered some players.

Burns was left out of the starting XI and was an unused substitute in Friday night's loss to Victory in one of a number of recent selection decisions that have raised eyebrows.

Ryan Edwards was preferred to Burns in a re-jigged starting formation, while Cameron Edwards was deployed off the bench.

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