POLICE are speaking to a man seen with woman before she fell to her death from a hotel in far north Queensland.
The 51-year-old woman fell from a balcony on the fourth floor of a hotel in downtown Cairns about 10.30pm last night, police say.
A 51-year-old man, believed to be the woman's friend, is helping police with their inquiries,a police spokesman said.
No charges have been laid.
David Cassai's sister, Elisa, mother Caterina and an unidentified man outside Melbourne Magistrates' Court. Picture: Stuart Walmsley Source: Herald Sun
THE teenager accused of fatally bashing 22-year-old David Cassai on New Year's Eve appeared in a courtroom packed full of his alleged victim?s family and friends today.
About 30 friends and family of Mr Cassai - including his mother and two sisters - filled the courtroom, some of them staring at Dylan John Closter and two co-accused as they entered the room.
Mr Closter, 18, charged with manslaughter and affray over the death of the young Templestowe man, previously claimed he was attacked first.
Tyrone Russell, 21, and Thomas McCluskey, 25, were also charged over the fight at Rye, but not in relation to Mr Cassai's death.
Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard today there was strong evidence, including CCTV footage of Mr Closter’s group approaching Mr Cassai’s group, suggesting the accused men and their friends were the aggressors.
David Cassai.
Prosecutor Luke Exell said a committal hearing, where the strength of the prosecution evidence is tested, should be set down as early as possible on public policy grounds and because of concerns for Mr Cassai’s family.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Dan Muling chose the earliest available date, August 5, and said Mr Closter’s barrister could either make himself available or get his client new representation.
“This is a matter of great significance to many people who have been affected by this incident,” he said.
So far, 18 witnesses will be called to be cross-examined during the committal hearing, which is expected to take three weeks.
Dylan John Closter,18, outside Melbourne Magistrates' Court. Picture: Stuart Walmsley
Mr Muling said he would allow a witness to be cross-examined about which of the two groups started the fight.
Mr Exell said there was no use examining the man because he had said he cannot clearly see long distances and could not identify which group was which.
Four of Mr Cassai’s friends, who will be called as prosecution witnesses, were asked to leave court so they did not hear details of the evidence.
Throughout the mention, Mr Closter - a third-year apprentice plumber from Launching Place – kept his head down.
Thomas McCluskey, 25, outside Melbourne Magistrates' Court. Picture: Stuart Walmsley
The court previously heard CCTV footage showed friends of Mr Closter tried to restrain him moments before he fatally punched Mr Cassai.
Homicide squad Det-Sgt Sol Solomon said in January the footage showed Mr Closter falling and getting up from the ground, but did not show him being punched and kicked while on the ground, as he told police.
Mr Closter said he had had a few swigs of Galliano before the incident, but denied that he walked away from the unconscious man laughing and said, "That's what we're here for," the court heard.
Det-Sgt Solomon told the court it was unknown what sparked the argument between two groups of young men about 1am on December 31 on Point Nepean Rd.
Tyrone Russell, 21, outside Melbourne Magistrates' Court. Picture: Stuart Walmsley
He said the critical parts of the incident were captured on CCTV footage from two nearby cameras.
The court heard Mr Closter bumped Mr Cassai with his shoulder and then stood over him, as if to strike him, as he lay on the ground.
“CCTV footage clearly shows the accused here assaults Mr Cassai on three separate occasions and he appears to be focusing his aggression upon Mr Cassai and Mr Cassai alone,” Det-Sgt Solomon said.
He said a number of young men held Mr Closter back as he advanced on a retreating Mr Cassai, but he managed to break free and chased after him.
The footage shows Mr Cassai had his hands in front of him - in an attempt to defend himself or ward off the imminent attack - when Mr Closter delivered a “roundhouse style punch” to the right side of Mr Cassai’s head, the court heard.
“He falls straight to the ground backwards and we see his head hit the pavement and he lies completely still, he never moves,” Det-Sgt Solomon said.
He said Mr Cassai was airlifted to The Alfred hospital, but medical experts told police at 8am he had sustained an “unsurvivable head injury” with a “hopeless” prognosis.
He died about 4pm that day.
The court heard Mr Closter told police he and his friends had been to the Rye carnival when he saw a boy from Mr Cassai’s group remove a street sign and yelled out: ‘What do you think you’re doing, mate?"
Mr Closter said he was assaulted by a number of people and, after being knocked to the ground, instinctively struck out at the nearest person to him.
“He said he didn’t realise at the time he had seriously injured the boy that he punched,” Det-Sgt Solomon said.
Mr Russell, a West Australian man, was charged with affray and two counts of intentionally causing injury.
Mr McCluskey, of Kilsyth, was also charged with intentionally causing injury and affray.
Mr Closter and Mr McCluskey’s mention hearings were adjourned until May 10 because their legal representatives received required documentation from the prosecution recently.
Members of Mr Cassai’s family cried after the hearing and walked from the court, linking arms.
The bail conditions of the three accused were extended.
David Cassai. Source: Supplied
THE teenager accused of fatally bashing 22-year-old David Cassai on New Year's Eve appeared in a courtroom packed full of his alleged victim?s family and friends today.
About 30 friends and family of Mr Cassai – including his mother and two sisters – filled the courtroom, some of them staring at Dylan John Closter and two co-accused as they entered the room.
Mr Closter, 18, charged with manslaughter and affray over the death of the young Templestowe man, previously claimed he was attacked first.
Tyrone Russell, 21, and Thomas McCluskey, 25, were also charged over the fight at Rye, but not in relation to Mr Cassai's death.
Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard today there was strong evidence, including CCTV footage of Mr Closter’s group approaching Mr Cassai’s group, suggesting the accused men and their friends were the aggressors.
Prosecutor Luke Exell said a committal hearing, where the strength of the prosecution evidence is tested, should be set down as early as possible on public policy grounds and because of concerns for Mr Cassai’s family.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Dan Muling chose the earliest available date, August 5, and said Mr Closter’s barrister could either make himself available or get his client new representation.
“This is a matter of great significance to many people who have been affected by this incident,” he said.
So far, 18 witnesses will be called to be cross-examined during the committal hearing, which is expected to take three weeks.
Mr Muling said he would allow a witness to be cross-examined about which of the two groups started the fight.
Mr Exell said there was no use examining the man because he had said he cannot clearly see long distances and could not identify which group was which.
Four of Mr Cassai’s friends, who will be called as prosecution witnesses, were asked to leave court so they did not hear details of the evidence.
Throughout the mention, Mr Closter - a third-year apprentice plumber from Launching Place – kept his head down.
The court previously heard CCTV footage showed friends of Mr Closter tried to restrain him moments before he fatally punched Mr Cassai.
Homicide squad Det-Sgt Sol Solomon said in January the footage showed Mr Closter falling and getting up from the ground, but did not show him being punched and kicked while on the ground, as he told police.
Mr Closter said he had had a few swigs of Galliano before the incident, but denied that he walked away from the unconscious man laughing and said, "That's what we're here for," the court heard.
Det-Sgt Solomon told the court it was unknown what sparked the argument between two groups of young men about 1am on December 31 on Point Nepean Rd.
He said the critical parts of the incident were captured on CCTV footage from two nearby cameras.
The court heard Mr Closter bumped Mr Cassai with his shoulder and then stood over him, as if to strike him, as he lay on the ground.
“CCTV footage clearly shows the accused here assaults Mr Cassai on three separate occasions and he appears to be focusing his aggression upon Mr Cassai and Mr Cassai alone,” Det-Sgt Solomon said.
He said a number of young men held Mr Closter back as he advanced on a retreating Mr Cassai, but he managed to break free and chased after him.
The footage shows Mr Cassai had his hands in front of him - in an attempt to defend himself or ward off the imminent attack - when Mr Closter delivered a “roundhouse style punch” to the right side of Mr Cassai’s head, the court heard.
“He falls straight to the ground backwards and we see his head hit the pavement and he lies completely still, he never moves,” Det-Sgt Solomon said.
He said Mr Cassai was airlifted to The Alfred hospital, but medical experts told police at 8am he had sustained an “unsurvivable head injury” with a “hopeless” prognosis.
He died about 4pm that day.
The court heard Mr Closter told police he and his friends had been to the Rye carnival when he saw a boy from Mr Cassai’s group remove a street sign and yelled out: ‘What do you think you’re doing, mate?"
Mr Closter said he was assaulted by a number of people and, after being knocked to the ground, instinctively struck out at the nearest person to him.
“He said he didn’t realise at the time he had seriously injured the boy that he punched,” Det-Sgt Solomon said.
Mr Russell, a West Australian man, was charged with affray and two counts of intentionally causing injury.
Mr McCluskey, of Kilsyth, was also charged with intentionally causing injury and affray.
Mr Closter and Mr McCluskey’s mention hearings were adjourned until May 10 because their legal representatives received required documentation from the prosecution recently.
Members of Mr Cassai’s family cried after the hearing and walked from the court, linking arms.
The bail conditions of the three accused were extended.
A MAN has been charged following the shooting death of a 20-year-old woman at a St Albans property yesterday.
Homicide Squad detectives arrested the 22-year-old Jovan Jojic about 8.30pm yesterday and accompanied him to Sunshine police station.
The Sunshine man has been charged with one count of murder, one count of conduct endangering life and one count of recklessly cause serious injury.
He appeared before an out of sessions court hearing and was remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ court today.
Police were called to premises at Currumghi Circuit just after 5am where the body of a Keilor Downs woman was located.
TRAGEDY: Goodna crash victims Nicholas Saxby, Brittany Bramwell and Matthew Prior. Source: The Courier-Mail
A MAN who killed three teenagers in a sickening crash on their way home from Dreamworld will serve 80 per cent of an increased 10-year jail sentence after the crime was declared a "serious violent offence" by the Court of Appeal.
Ipswich teenagers Brittany Bramwell, 17, Matthew Prior, 18, and Nicholas Saxby, 16, were driving home from an evening at the Gold Coast theme park's night-time drawcard 'Screamworld' when their car was wiped out in a crash at a Goodna intersection at 11pm on April 8, 2011.
Ipswich District Court Judge Sarah Bradley last year sentenced Michael Daniel Henderson, 35, to seven-and-a-half years jail for running two red lights, ramming another car twice and "using his car as a weapon'' in the moments before he T-boned the teenagers' car at high speed and fled the Goodna crash scene.
Henderson was eligible for parole release on February 15, 2015, after serving one-third of the jail term.
But the sentence Henderson received for dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death was overturned by the Court of Appeal on Thursday and increased from seven-and-a-half years to 10 years.
In a written judgment, Justice John Muir, Justice Margaret Wilson and Justice James Douglas declared the crime was a serious violent offence, meaning that Henderson would be required by legislation to serve 80 per cent of the sentence.
JAILED: Michael Henderson at Ipswich Courthouse. Picture: Mark Calleja
Justice Wilson said the previous sentence "manifestly failed to reflect the overall criminality of the respondent’s conduct".
"It is only in an exceptional case that this Court will intervene to increase a sentence to a level higher than that sought by the prosecutor at first instance,’’ she said in the judgment.
"However, the ultimate responsibility for the imposition of an appropriate sentence rests with the sentencing judge rather than the prosecutor, and this Court will intervene where the sentencing judge failed to appreciate the seriousness of the offending or it is necessary to maintain public confidence in the administration of justice."
Justice Wilson said Henderson’s was "an extremely dangerous case of dangerous driving" that had "catastrophic consequences".
Matthew and Brittany died at the scene, at the corner of Bertha St and Brisbane Rd, and Nicholas died later in Princess Alexandra Hospital.
TRAGEDY: Grieving family and friends console each other at Ipswich Court House. Picture: Mark Calleja
The car was driven by Brittany's boyfriend of two years, Alex Mayfield, 17. He suffered serious life-threatening injuries, including fractured ribs and ruptured internal organs, but survived.
At the sentencing in Ipswich, Prosecutor Caroline Marco said Henderson had been drinking with friends when he got into a fight at a house on Bertha St which escalated and led to him ramming another man's car twice before giving chase at speeds of 85 to 95km/h.
She said Henderson pulled into oncoming traffic on Bertha St, forcing another motorist to run a red light to escape being hit by his car.
Henderson ran from police twice after fleeing the crash scene while others stopped to help the injured teenagers.
He was not apprehended until 11.40pm and then behaved "belligerently'' towards police, Ms Marco said.
Henderson's driver's licence had been suspended on October 11, 2010, for speeding offences.
Defence lawyer Steve Kissick said at the time that his client had not showed "callous disregard'' by fleeing the crash site.
Mr Kissick said Henderson was both highly remorseful and deeply saddened.
The court was told Henderson was the eldest of 13 children, was in foster care as a child, grappled with a heroin addiction and had three young children of his own.
Henderson was also sentenced for assaulting his ex-partner on April 4, 2010. He was on bail over the incident when the crash took place.
TWO bars at opposite sides of town, there was nothing to connect Jill Meagher and Adrian Bayley early on her final night.
POPE Francis has been caught on camera touring Rome in a mini-bus and paying his tab at a hotel.
ON the surface, it seems a match made in cricketing heaven. Michael Clarke and Shane Watson. Pup and Watto. What went wrong?
SUBURBAN lives of love and betrayal have been exposed as Gerard Baden-Clay, accused of murdering his wife, faces a committal hearing.
A JOURNALIST and his camera operator have been detained in Tiananmen Square live on TV, in what he described as a surreal but telling episode about reporting in China.
A TRUCK driver has been charged over a Queensland train crash that killed two people more than three years ago.
Michael Joseph Nugent, 67, appeared in Tully Magistrates Court, near Cairns, yesterday charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death.
Police allege Nugent was driving a truck that hit a train at a Bruce Highway level crossing at Conn on November 27, 2008.
The crossing is 200km south of Cairns and has flashing lights.
The engine rolled in the collision but the passenger carriages remained upright.
Townsville train drivers Richard Wetherell and Michael Smithers were killed and another person was seriously injured.
About 80 passengers were on board the train, which was travelling from Brisbane to Cairns.
The case has been transferred to Roma Magistrates Court in Brisbane where Nugent is due appear on March 27.
