Man accused of Launceston Boxing Day murder appears in court

The man accused of murdering a woman on Boxing Day made an appearance in court today ahead of his trial | A former Cricket Tasmania employee will undergo surgery before fighting dozens of stealing charges later this year + MORE COURT NEWS >>

• German national pleads not guilty to murder
• Former TSL coach in court over assault charge

The man accused of murdering a Launceston woman on Boxing Day made a brief appearance in court today, ahead of his trial.

Tobias Pick, 27, appeared via video link from Risdon Prison this morning, represented by lawyer Evan Hughes, who requested an adjournment until June 7, while his application for legal aid is processed.

launceston death

Pick, a German national, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of 49-year-old Jingai Zhang in her Wellington St home on December 26 last year.

Pick had been living in Tasmania for several months on a working visa at the time.

No details have been released about how Ms Zhang was killed.

Pick was formally committed to stand trial in January and in today’s appearance he only spoke to confirm his name and thank Justice Robert Pearce at the end of the video link hearing.

He will appear again in the Supreme Court in Launceston at 10am, June 7.

Ex-Cricket Tasmania worker to fight stealing claims

By Amber Wilson

A FORMER Cricket Tasmania receptionist will likely fight claims she stole thousands of dollars in cash and memberships from the organisation, during a two-day court hearing in September.

Renee Ferguson, 47, appeared in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Monday via phone link with her lawyer Greg Barns.

Ms Ferguson has previously pleaded not guilty to 63 counts of stealing and two counts of dishonestly acquiring a financial advantage.

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It is alleged Ms Ferguson fraudulently obtained a $705 Cricket Tasmania junior and platinum membership, a $339 Hobart Hurricanes family membership, and stole $1942 in cash.

The former Howrah resident now lives interstate.

On Monday, Mr Barns told Chief Magistrate Catherine Geason that Ms Ferguson was battling health problems and would likely soon undergo surgery.

Ms Geason extended Ms Ferguson’s bail and set down a further court mention date for May 31 ahead of a likely contested hearing in September.

The case has been adjourned repeatedly since it first went to court in July 2018, with Ms Ferguson continually not appearing in person.

She has provided the court with medical certificates.

Hobart man faces court over child exploitation material charges

A YOUNG Hobart man has briefly faced court charged with four counts of producing child exploitation material.

The youth has also been charged with one count of assault with indecent intent, one count of indecent assault and one count of indecent act with a child or young person.

He appeared before Magistrate Robert Webster and did not enter a plea to the charges.

According to court documents, police allege the crimes were committed between July and October last year.

The documents allege that he took photos of two young girls, “having, or being a person that ought to have known, that the material was child exploitation material”.

The man was bailed to return to court on July 1.