Richmond Police issued their first ‘weekly wrap-up’ of local arrests and other crime related activity last week on social media, following a trend set by the Tweed Byron Police District long ago.
Officers in their first local report said they charged 65 individuals with 114 offences between 11–17 December across the Richmond district, which includes the Ballina and Lismore local government areas.
‘Of these, 28 were Domestic Violence (DV) related,’ police wrote, ‘including assaults, property damage, breaches of AVOs (including multiple breaches within 28 days), kidnapping, using a carriage service to menace/harass/offend, and stalking or intimidation intended to cause fear’.
Officers said they charged a 30-year-old Drake man on 11 December after he allegedly threatened two victims, armed with an axe, knife, and chainsaw, and damaged property.
Police arrested him at the scene and said he was refused bail to appear at Casino Local Court on 25 February charged with multiple serious domestic violence offences.
More than 60% of non-DV offences related to driving
‘Driving offences dominate the non DV related list, making up over 60% of incidents,’ the update read.
More than fifteen people were charged for driving while disqualified or suspended.
More than ten were charged for driving with illicit drugs present, including some police said were repeat offenders.
Four people were charged for driving with a mid-range blood alcohol content.
Seven firearm and weapon offences
Violent and serious crimes accounted for around 20% of charges, police said, including for assault, both common and occasioning actual bodily harm, and reckless wounding and affray.
Other charges listed included robbery in company and aggravated break and enter, drug possession (in six incidents) and seven firearm and weapon offences, as well as contravening AVOs, resisting police, shoplifting and larceny.
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