Qld man shares fatal fire marshmallow joke
James Morton Mason shared a joke about getting marshmallows for a house fire that killed his partner in audio played in Brisbane Supreme Court.
crime, law and justice
Carnival sued over norovirus outbreaks
Carnival has been sued by passengers who say they suffered from diarrhoea and vomiting after being unnecessarily exposed to norovirus on eight separate cruises.
Human remains found under Qld unit complex
A body has been found tightly wrapped in bedding and clothes under a unit complex in Brisbane's north where investigators are working to determine the identity.
NSW teen rapist claims sex was consensual
A teenager convicted for raping a fellow school student at a house party west of Sydney has claimed the act was consensual, attacking the victim's credibility.
Bruce Lehrmann preparing defamation action
The man accused of raping Brittany Higgins has engaged lawyers for potential defamation action over statements, broadcasts and social media posts about him.
Confusion over whether to report Houston
Hillsong's general manager told his boss Brian Houston about an allegation of sexual abuse against his father, but did not feel he had to report it to police.
John Barilaro court case delayed a week
A court case concerning former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro's scuffle with a cameraman at a beachside Sydney suburb will return to court next week.
Racist woman in 4WD pursued, threatened cyclist
Shelley Anne Alabaster has been released on parole after a cyclist she pursued and threatened in her 4WD asked for the 46-year-old to be shown compassion.
Man ‘tried to save’ woman from house fire
A neighbour has fought back tears as he told Brisbane Supreme Court the moment he tried to save Alexis Parkes from her burning home in February 2020.
Pastor kept Houston abuse report secret
A pastor told her grandnephew she would support him reporting child sexual abuse committed against him to the church, but not to police, a NSW court has heard.
Man bashed ‘while singing nursery rhymes’
A man has told Brisbane District Court he was forced to sing nursery rhymes and was bashed every time he got it wrong while being held captive for 20 hours.
Bester faces court over Tame ‘harassment’
The man who sexually abused former Australian of the Year Grace Tame has faced a Tasmanian court for allegedly harassing her via social media.
Hillsong founder accused of abuse cover-up
Many people knew about Frank Houston's sexual abuse of a child and did not tell police, Hillsong founder Brian Houston's lawyer has told a NSW court.
Court reform to combat ‘disgrace’ of abuse
A newly expanded court program will aim to better identify child abuse and domestic violence victims.
Qld man dies two weeks after hit-run
Queensland detectives are considering new charges after a man struck by a car died in hospital two weeks after the collision.
Prakash charged with six terror offences
Alleged Australian terrorist Neil Prakash will face a Melbourne court for six terrorism charges which could mean he spends the rest of his life in prison.
Higgins speaks about court impact
Brittany Higgins has highlighted the impact the criminal justice system has on people who come forward with sexual assault complaints.
NT inquest focus on killer cop questioned
After three months of hearings, the intense focus at Kumanjayi Walker's shooting death inquest on the policeman who killed him has been praised and criticised.
Assange appeals to European court
WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in a bid to avoid being extradited to the United States.
Chris Dawson eyes appeal after sentence
With Chris Dawson likely to spend his last years of life in jail for murdering his wife Lynette, attention now turns to his appeal bid to regain his freedom.
Higgins’ story sparks reform conversation
Advocates want reforms to support sexual assault complainants who seek justice after Brittany Higgins' experience showed the personal toll of legal action.
Qld sex offender security overhauled
Security for Queensland's dangerous sex offenders will be overhauled after the alleged assault of a teenage girl at a residential complex.
Woman appeals sentence for robbery killing
Kobi Daniel Oram and Emma Louis Hinds have appealed their sentences over the shooting death of Megan Kirley in her shipping container home south of Brisbane.
Accused jihadist Prakash silent in court
Melbourne-born Neil Prakash, who is accused of travelling to Syria to fight with Islamic State, has faced a Darwin court over terrorism charges.
Convicted stalker with ‘fear of heights’ sues court for upstairs hearing
A Gold Coast solicitor with a claimed fear of heights has sought $73 billion in damages for being required to attend his criminal case in an upstairs court.
Court ends special master in Trump probe
A US federal appeals court has ended an independent review of documents seized from Donald Trump's Florida estate.
Accused jihadi Prakash faces life sentence
Neil Prakash has faced court on terrorism charges that could see him jailed for life after the Melbourne-born alleged jihadi was deported from Turkey.
WA pregnant mum hit with brick has died
A pregnant Perth mother who was hit in the head with a concrete block in an unprovoked attack this week has died in hospital along with her unborn child.
Santos loses appeal for huge NT gas works
The Federal Court has upheld a ruling that Tiwi Islands traditional owners should have been consulted over Santos's multibillion-dollar Barossa gas project.
Wife-killer Dawson likely to die in jail
Former teacher Chris Dawson has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years after murdering his wife Lynette and disposing of her body four decades ago.
Prosecution drops Bruce Lehrmann rape case
The man accused of raping Brittany Higgins will not face a retrial because of the impacts renewed proceedings would have on her mental health.