1. Baby Gammy’s surrogate mother tells biological parents’ to “leave us alone”
Baby Gammy’s surrogate mother, Pattaramon Chanbua, has said it is “insane” that David and Wendy Farnell, the child with Down Syndrome’s biological parents, have tried to access charity money meant for his future development.
“I think it’s insane. I think he’s crazy to do something like this,” Ms Chanbua said from her Thai home.
“If he were a real father, he wouldn’t do something like [this],” she told 9 news.
“I’m angry, of course. But I know he won’t be able to get hold of the money. I’m Gammy’s mother, I look after him. But it’s not my money either, the money belongs to Gammy, for his health and education,” she said.
“He (David Farnell) should think back about when I was struggling. I tried my best to take care of Gammy.”
The charity Hands Across the Water has raised over $235,000 for Gammy, put towards paying his medical bills. It is unclear why the Farnell’s are trying to access the funds, though if Chanbua has anything to do with it, they won’t succeed.
“Leave us alone. Let us be, let us live in peace,” Ms Chanbua said.
“If he doesn’t have a job or money, he can bring Gammy’s sister to me.”
2. Morcombe murder appeal returns to Queensland Court today.
UPDATE: Since appearing before a judge in Queensland today, Brett Cowan has lost his appeal against conviction.
The appeal lodged by Brett Peter Cowan, the man convicted of murdering Daniel Morcombe,is set to return to the Queensland’s Court of Appeal today.
The appeal was originally heard more than six months ago by Justice Carmody, Court of Appeal president Margaret McMurdo and Justice Hugh Fraser. However, earlier this week it was revealed Queensland Chief Justice Carmody would be removing himself from the appeal amid controversial allegations of perceived bias.
Today it will be seen if the two other judges will make a judgement based on Cowan’s appeal from six months ago, or if a fresh hearing will take place amidst Carmody’s resignation from the case.
Cowan, 45, was convicted last year, a decade after 13-year-old Daniel went missing from the side of a Sunshine Coast road. He is currently serving life including a minimum of 20 years without parole for the abduction and murder of Daniel in 2003.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall arrived in Ireland yesterday for their four day visit to the Republic and Northern Ireland, the visit has been described by the British Embassy as another important step in promoting peace and reconciliation. [Image via Getty].
3. Prince Charles visits the site his great uncle was murdered.
Prince Charles, 66, has remembered his great-uncle Louis Mountbatten at the site he was murdered by IRA paramillitaries in 1979. This makes him the first royal to ever visit the assassination site in Ireland.
Charles was moved by the occassion, saying, “At the time I could not imagine how we would come to terms with the anguish of such a deep loss.”
He told audiences Lord Louis Mountbatten was “the grandfather I never had” and that “through this dreadful experience I now understand in a profound way the agonies borne by others on these islands of whatever faith or political persuasion.”
4. Johnny Depp storms off Pirates set to “salvage his marriage.”
It was only last week that Johnny Depp was given an ultimatum by Agricultural Minister Barnaby Joyce to flee back to America with his dogs, Pistol and Boo, or have them euthanised as they were undeclared to Australian Custom officials. Late last Friday, Depp’s wife Amber Heard took the dogs back to their Los Angeles home.
Now, it appears, the 51-year-old Depp has flown back to America overnight to join Heard and salvage his marriage after Heard decided not to return to Australia after leaving the dogs in the US.
Production sources told the Gold Coast Bulletin that Depp fled the Pirates of Carribean set overnight to return to his wife.
He’s going back to the States on the first available private charter flight he can get on,” a source said last night.
Tabloids have also been saying that the couple are just putting up a happy front in the public even as they continue to fight while they are away from the limelight. Time will tell…
5. An assistant principal in Western Sydney was arrested and charged last night for allegedly grooming a child under the age of 10.
Alexander Gollan also faces 14 counts of holding child abuse material in his possession and sending indecent material to a minor, reveal The Daily Telegraph
The 32-year-old has sold T-shirts and stickers with his political messages on them and writes “anti-racism” and “anti-bogan” messages in his spare time, according to The Tele.
Mr Gollan told The Daily Telegraph last night he is a victim of a witch hunt by a right-wing conspiracy group who doesn’t agree with his politics.
The police investigation began in October and led to Mr Gollan’s arrest at 6:30pm last night after police searched the assistant principal’s hard drives and allege they found videos including one showing naked children bathing.
Mr Gollan maintains his innocence and will face court on June 30.
