There’s a chance convicted Hunter paedophile, Edward Hall, could spend the rest of his life in jail. The former Catholic high school teacher was this afternoon handed a minimum 13 and half year sentence, for historical sex offences. NBN News reporter Sam Burbury was there for the sentence

A coroner has found that police had no choice but to shoot a man dead, who’d attacked his former partner in her Port Macquarie home. But Coffs Harbour Court today heard the tragic turn of events in 2016 could have been avoided.

World tour surfer Ryan Callinan has played down concerns he’s set to miss Surfest, after injuring a rib last week. However the pain is serious enough to rule him out of this weekend’s Australian Boardriders Battle, at Newcastle Beach.

The nation is still almost completely cloud free which is allowing things to heat back up quickly yet again. All the cloud is with Cyclone Oma. The weather is now set to be dominated by strengthening high pressure systems. They are centered a long way to the south blocking any major weather systems. The onshore winds will remain. This will generate partly cloudy skies but only a little rain in the form of some isolated showers for NE NSW and SE QLD. The cooler weather this week for the coast will now start to heat back up. Inland across the NW and across the Greater Hunter the hot, dry weather continues.

There’s plenty of swell to start the weekend but the onshore winds will continue causing a few bumps.

Police are searching the Dudley, Whitebridge and Redhead areas for a woman who’s been missing since Wednesday. 37-year-old Ashly Bates was last seen at a home in Whitebridge. She’s hasn’t contacted her family and her phone was found by a member of the public at Dudley Bluff. Polair and Dog Unit are also involved in the search. Ashly is described as being of Caucasian appearance, approximately 168cm tall, with dark shoulder-length hair, fair complexion and tattoos on the inside of her wrists. She was last seen wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and pyjama pants.

Police want the public’s help to find a man wanted on an outstanding warrant in the Hunter Valley. Dwayne Perry is wanted over an alleged stabbing on the 3rd of February this year. He’s described as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander appearance, of a slim build, with tattoos of the words ‘MAY’ on his neck and ‘Perry Brothers’ on his back, and with brown hair and blue eyes. Police say the 32-year-old is believed to be in the Raymond Terrace area or wider Hunter Valley.

Two elderly men have been assaulted during a carjacking in Newcastle. Police say a 72-year-old was getting in to his car on Wood Street, Newcastle West around midday in Thursday when he was approached from behind and assaulted. An 83-year-old who was sitting in the passenger seat was also assaulted during the ordeal. A 32-year-old man was arrested later on Thursday on Brown Street, Raymond Terrace. He’s facing a raft of charges including assault, intimidation and pursuit counts. He’s facing Newcastle Local Court on Friday.

A female teacher is facing court at Toronto on Friday after allegedly grooming a 15-year-old boy at a Hunter Valley high school. Lake Macquarie police allege the 26-year-old woman sent explicit images of herself to a student at the school where she taught. She was arrested at a home in Wyee on Thursday. The teacher has been charged with grooming a child for unlawful activity, aggravated indecent assault and three counts of “aggravated sexually touch another person”.

An explosive situation is developing at the Central Coast Mariners, with breakout star Matt Millar sent home from training, after the club learned he’s signed a two-year deal with fierce rivals, the Newcastle Jets. Management only learned of the deal after they sat down to offer him an extension, with his current contract expiring at the end of the season. It’s understood the Players Union has been engaged, and it could get messy.