Tasmania breaking news: 41-year-old firefighter has been suspended from duty after charges laid

The fire service boss has confirmed a 41-year-old firefighter has been suspended from duty after a joint anti-child exploitation laid charges. The latest.

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Firefighter suspended from duty after being charged with child abuse offence

Updated: Tasmania Fire Service has suspended a firefighter from duty after he was charged with possession child abuse material.

A written statement from Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Jeremy Smith said the 41-year-old man was immediately suspended from duty pending the outcome of the court process.

“This is distressing news, and wellbeing services are being made available to TFS staff and volunteers as required,” Mr Smith said.

Initial: A joint anti-child exploitation operation between Tasmanian and federal forces has resulted in a 41-year-old man being charged for allegedly possession child exploitation material.

The Southern Tasmanian has been charged with a federal crime of allegedly possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained using a carriage service.

He is expected to reappear in the Hobart Magistrates Court on August 27.

Allegations man was kidnapped and forced to withdraw cash

1.30pm: Tasmania Police suspect a man was reportedly taken to a business premise to withdraw cash after being assaulted at a private home in Punchbowl.

Officers report the alleged victim alerted the business during the incident, who then contacted police.

The man is believed to have received non-lifethreatening injuries as a result of the incident.

Police suspect two men were involved in the target incident in Launceston and have laid charges.

A 31-year-old Ravenswood man was charged last week and appeared in court for kidnapping, aggravated robbery, assault and motor vehicle stealing.

Today, a 24-year-old Launceston man was charged with kidnapping, aggravated robbery, assault and motor vehicle stealing.

He was detained to appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court at a later date.

Four teenagers arrested for series of alleged offences

1pm: Four teenagers have been charged and will face court over a series alleged offences across greater Hobart over the past month.

Constable Corrine Falls said the alleged offending occurred across greater Hobart, in Bridgewater, New Town and Glenorchy.

A 14-year-old boy was charged with three counts of stealing, two counts of common assault, make off without payment, destroy property, trespass, unlawful possession of property and bail offences, he has been detained to appear in court today.

A 13-year-old girl was charged with common assault, two counts of stealing, unlawful possession of property and bail offences.

Another 13-year-old girl was charged with two counts of stealing, possess stolen property, possess a controlled drug, trespass, use abusive language to police and bail offences.

A 16-year-old boy was charged with two counts of stealing, common assault and bail offences.

Three of the alleged offenders are expected to appear in the Hobart Youth Justice Court in April, while another has been detains and set to face court today.

“Tasmania Police is committed to protecting the community and local businesses and detecting and preventing anti-social and criminal behaviour with the aim of making our public spaces safer for everyone,” Constable Falls said.

“Our community deserves to feel safe at home, out in public and in their workplaces.”

“We will continue to target anti-social and criminal behaviour and where appropriate, necessary and authorised by law, we will be charging those who offend, and putting them before a Magistrate.”

Geeveston man faced 40+ charges from alleged month-long crime spree

June 26, 11am: A young Geeveston man allegedly went on a crime spree across multiple Hobart suburbs in June.

Police say they charged the 24-year-old following a significant investigation.

He faces more than 40 charges ranging from burglary, motor vehicle stealing, compute related fraud and a drug-related offence.

Police will allege the offending occurred in June across Blackmans Bay, Mountain River, Huonville, Copping, Primrose Sands, Glenorchy, South Hobart, Cambridge, New Town, Gagebrook and Midway Point.

Detective Sergeant Michael Manning thanked members of the public for their help in the investigation.

“We want to thank the community for their support, which helped detectives to gather evidence and apprehend the offender, and stopped the pattern of crime from continuing,” he said.

The man was remanded in custody to reappear in court in July.

Man flying into Hobart allegedly carrying meth on him and in toys

1pm: Police will allege a 40-year-old man attempted to smuggle 28 grams of methylamphetamine (ICE) into Tasmania.

Sergeant Greg Rogers accused the Molesworth man of disembarking a domestic flight from Melbourne to Hobart on Saturday with the drug concealed on him and also within toys packed in his luggage.

“Police will further allege the man was also wanted for three outstanding fail to appear warrants,” Sergeant Rogers said.

“He appeared in an out of hours court session on Sunday, where he was remanded in custody to appear at a later date.”

The man was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance.

He said police seized the “highly addictive” drug that could have resulted in 280 individual street deals.

“Tasmania Police will continue to target offenders who attempt to import illicit substances into Tasmania by conducting both targeted and random screening of persons entering the state by sea and airports”, he said.

Two fires believed to be deliberately lit under investigation

June 25, 11:15am: Devonport fire crews were called out to two separate fires overnight that police believe were likely deliberately lit.

The first occurred around 11.30pm, with emergency services unable to prevent significant damage to a vacant building on Devonport Road at Quoiba.

Later at around 1.05am, firefighters were once again called upon to extinguish a blaze with a vehicle fire at a car repair business on Stony Rise Rd alight.

Police report the fire spread to two other vehicles in the yard before being extinguished.

Officers say the cause of the fires are under investigation and being treated as suspicious.

Police would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the fires or anyone acting suspiciously in the areas around those times.

Eight drink drivers charged including one who struck power pole

12.30pm: A driver more than three times the legal limit who reportedly crashed into a power pole on Sheffield Road in the state’s North-West was one of eight police caught drink driving in the region over the weekend.

The 21-year-old Sassafras man, who was injured from the collision, was detected on Saturday about 8.12 and police say he returned a reading of 0.161.

About the same time in Ulverstone, a man was caught on Wrights Rd and was allegedly returned a reading of 0.238, nearly five times over the limit.

The 36-year-old will also face charges of having an unregistered and uninsured vehicle and minor drug-related offences.

Also on Saturday, a 56-year-old was caught driving around Devonport at more than twice the legal limit, police say, while a 24-year-old allegedly returned a reading of 0.149 driving at 3 Mile Line, Burnie.

On Friday, a 43-year-old West Ulverstone man and a 23-year-old Penguin man were charged with drink driving offences. The West Ulverstone man was also charged with driving without a licence and providing a false name.

On Sunday, a 38-year-old man from Sheffield was allegedly driving four times over the legal limit and was charged.

Police also say an 18-year-old P-plater with a suspended licence was also charged with drink driving.

Acting Inspector Martin Parker said it was disappointing for police to detect such high numbers of drink drivers in such a short period.

“One drink driver is one too many – particularly when the drivers are returning such high readings,” he said.

“Not only does drink driving put other road users at risk, but it is even more dangerous during the winter months when road conditions are poor.”

Charges laid after early morning ‘burnouts’, hooning

10am: The quiet East Coast town of Scamander was reportedly woken up by the sounds of ‘burnouts’ and hooning in the early hours of Sunday.

St Helens Police responded to reports of significant ‘burnouts’ and say on arrival found a white Toyota ute in the middle of the road.

Police say they chased a man who was found at the scene nearby a short time later.

The 32-year-old Orford man was charged with evading police and hooning offences. He has been bailed to appear in court at a later date.

Inspector Luke Manhood said police would continue to target unlawful driving behaviour such as hooning.

“Hooning and dangerous driving behaviour will not be tolerated,” he said

“Our community can be assured that in addition to high visibility patrols, local police will continue to actively target this type of offending to keep our road users safe.”

Young teenage girl arrested four days after alleged assault

8.40am: Officers say they’ve caught a young teenager four days after she allegedly assaulted a woman in Glenorchy.

The incident on Main Road was reported about 2.30pm last Wednesday with officers saying the 13-year-old girl fled the scene before police arrived.

A Tasmania Police spokesperson said the teenager was arrested on Sunday afternoon following an investigation by Glenorchy uniform officers.

She is expected to face the Youth Justice Court in July 2.

Child among three rushed to hospital after serious crash

June 24: Three people involved in a crash last night, including a child, have been taken to the Launceston General Hospital for treatment.

The incident involved two utes, a green Mitsubishi Triton and a red Nissan Patrol, with early police investigations suggesting the vehicles were travelling in the same direction on Eloura St in Riverside about 9pm.

Officers say the three people in the Triton suffered injuries, including a child who remains in a serious condition this morning.

The two occupants of the Nissan escaped without injury.

Police say they’re continuing to investigate the crash and have urged anyone who saw either of the two vehicles prior to the crash to come forward.