Young woman's strip search akin to 'sexual assault', court told
The young woman leading a class action over strip searches was subjected to a "degrading and humiliating" experience "akin to a sexual assault" by NSW Police at a music festival in 2018, a court has heard.
WARNING: This article contains graphic content.
Last month, the state of NSW made a dramatic backflip in the case, admitting police acted unlawfully when they searched Raya Meredith at the Splendour In The Grass music festival, ordering her to bend over while naked and remove a tampon.
Her barrister Kylie Nomchong SC on Monday told the hearing her client would be making an additional claim for aggravated damages due to feelings of "hurt and distress" caused by police previously denying her account for more than two years.
Kylie Nomchong SC said Raya Meredith was searched based on a drug dog sniffing in her direction.
(
AAP: Regi Varghese
)
Ms Nomchong told the court her client was subjected to "assault, battery and false imprisonment" during the search, and the only basis for it had been a drug dog "sniffing in [Ms Meredith's] direction".
She said police did not follow the statutory safeguards that NSW parliament had put in place around strip searches.
"She was not asked for her consent, she was questioned during the search, the search was not done in private," Ms Nomchong said.
"She was asked to strip, expose all parts of her body, drop her breasts, bend over and expose her anus and vagina.
"We say these things are akin to things that would happen during a sexual assault."
'Not an isolated' incident
Ms Nomchong said that when Ms Meredith was following commands to bend over, "a male police officer walked into the cubicle unannounced and observed the plaintiff in this position".
No drugs were found during the search and Ms Nomchong said Ms Meredith was left traumatised.
She outlined the broader ramifications of the class action, which is believed to be one of the biggest ever brought against NSW Police.
"This is an extraordinary story, but it is not an isolated one,"
she said.
"There were many thousands of persons strip searched at festivals in the claim period," she said.
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New data obtained by the ABC has found First Nations and diverse communities were disproportionately represented in New South Wales police searches between 2020 and 2023.
Ms Nomchong said the state of NSW had failed to adequately train officers on strict rules that surround strip searches, and then deployed large numbers of police to music festivals between 2016 and 2022 knowing and expecting a large number of searches would be conducted.
She said the parliament had made it clear strip searches were only supposed to be used "in the most extreme of circumstances" but that was not the way they were being executed by NSW Police.
"We say there was a pattern of conduct of NSW Police carrying out strip searches at music festivals as a matter of routine," she said.
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The Advertiser
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The community will hold a candlelight vigil at Kolan Community Park between 4pm and 6pm on Sunday. Locals have been asked to wear bright colours and butterflies. A second candlelight vigil will be held at Buss Park in nearby Bundaberg on Monday from 5pm. Well-wishers have left tributes on social media sites advertising the events. "May the love and light of the community surround Pheobe's family and friends during this difficult time, and may her spirit fly free R.I.P. sweet angel," one read on Saturday. Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP on Friday she believed the Bundaberg community to be a kind and accepting one. "To have this tragedy happen in our region ... it's been very difficult trying to make sense of it," she said. "We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward." Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. 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A planned vigil in memory of slain teenager Pheobe Bishop will go ahead after police discovered human remains in national parkland. The find was made in "unforgiving" terrain southwest of Bundaberg, with investigators aiming to also recover the 17-year-old's missing luggage expected to wind up their efforts on Saturday evening. Officers discovered what were believed to be the teenager's remains about 2.30pm on Friday near Goodnight Scrub National Park, some 280km northeast of Brisbane and 9km from an earlier search site. Pheobe's housemates, James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, faced Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Friday, three weeks to the day after she missed a flight and vanished. Prosecutors allege the pair moved Pheobe's body multiple times. Her local community of Gin Gin has thrown its arms around Pheobe's family, with floral tributes laid outside the property she shared with Wood and Bromley. The community will hold a candlelight vigil at Kolan Community Park between 4pm and 6pm on Sunday. Locals have been asked to wear bright colours and butterflies. A second candlelight vigil will be held at Buss Park in nearby Bundaberg on Monday from 5pm. Well-wishers have left tributes on social media sites advertising the events. "May the love and light of the community surround Pheobe's family and friends during this difficult time, and may her spirit fly free R.I.P. sweet angel," one read on Saturday. Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP on Friday she believed the Bundaberg community to be a kind and accepting one. "To have this tragedy happen in our region ... it's been very difficult trying to make sense of it," she said. "We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward." Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Police allege Wood and Bromley drove Pheobe close to the airport but no one got out of the car. Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield revealed on Saturday the remains found at Goodnight Scrub were not buried but declined to offer specifics. "They were found in bushland ... coupled with snippets of information and telecommunications data; that's allowed us to find this location," he said. "It's an unforgiving terrain." Insp Mansfield confirmed the missing luggage had not been located. He said forensic searches of a home in Gin Gin had not identified anything significant. The town also rallied around the missing teen's family during the search for her with a Leave the Lights On for Pheobe campaign. Some posted photos online of their front lights switched on "to guide Pheobe home". Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance on August 11. A planned vigil in memory of slain teenager Pheobe Bishop will go ahead after police discovered human remains in national parkland. The find was made in "unforgiving" terrain southwest of Bundaberg, with investigators aiming to also recover the 17-year-old's missing luggage expected to wind up their efforts on Saturday evening. Officers discovered what were believed to be the teenager's remains about 2.30pm on Friday near Goodnight Scrub National Park, some 280km northeast of Brisbane and 9km from an earlier search site. Pheobe's housemates, James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, faced Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Friday, three weeks to the day after she missed a flight and vanished. Prosecutors allege the pair moved Pheobe's body multiple times. Her local community of Gin Gin has thrown its arms around Pheobe's family, with floral tributes laid outside the property she shared with Wood and Bromley. The community will hold a candlelight vigil at Kolan Community Park between 4pm and 6pm on Sunday. Locals have been asked to wear bright colours and butterflies. A second candlelight vigil will be held at Buss Park in nearby Bundaberg on Monday from 5pm. Well-wishers have left tributes on social media sites advertising the events. "May the love and light of the community surround Pheobe's family and friends during this difficult time, and may her spirit fly free R.I.P. sweet angel," one read on Saturday. Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP on Friday she believed the Bundaberg community to be a kind and accepting one. "To have this tragedy happen in our region ... it's been very difficult trying to make sense of it," she said. "We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward." Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Police allege Wood and Bromley drove Pheobe close to the airport but no one got out of the car. Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield revealed on Saturday the remains found at Goodnight Scrub were not buried but declined to offer specifics. "They were found in bushland ... coupled with snippets of information and telecommunications data; that's allowed us to find this location," he said. "It's an unforgiving terrain." Insp Mansfield confirmed the missing luggage had not been located. He said forensic searches of a home in Gin Gin had not identified anything significant. The town also rallied around the missing teen's family during the search for her with a Leave the Lights On for Pheobe campaign. Some posted photos online of their front lights switched on "to guide Pheobe home". Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance on August 11. A planned vigil in memory of slain teenager Pheobe Bishop will go ahead after police discovered human remains in national parkland. The find was made in "unforgiving" terrain southwest of Bundaberg, with investigators aiming to also recover the 17-year-old's missing luggage expected to wind up their efforts on Saturday evening. Officers discovered what were believed to be the teenager's remains about 2.30pm on Friday near Goodnight Scrub National Park, some 280km northeast of Brisbane and 9km from an earlier search site. Pheobe's housemates, James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, faced Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Friday, three weeks to the day after she missed a flight and vanished. Prosecutors allege the pair moved Pheobe's body multiple times. Her local community of Gin Gin has thrown its arms around Pheobe's family, with floral tributes laid outside the property she shared with Wood and Bromley. The community will hold a candlelight vigil at Kolan Community Park between 4pm and 6pm on Sunday. Locals have been asked to wear bright colours and butterflies. A second candlelight vigil will be held at Buss Park in nearby Bundaberg on Monday from 5pm. Well-wishers have left tributes on social media sites advertising the events. "May the love and light of the community surround Pheobe's family and friends during this difficult time, and may her spirit fly free R.I.P. sweet angel," one read on Saturday. Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP on Friday she believed the Bundaberg community to be a kind and accepting one. "To have this tragedy happen in our region ... it's been very difficult trying to make sense of it," she said. "We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward." Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Police allege Wood and Bromley drove Pheobe close to the airport but no one got out of the car. Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield revealed on Saturday the remains found at Goodnight Scrub were not buried but declined to offer specifics. "They were found in bushland ... coupled with snippets of information and telecommunications data; that's allowed us to find this location," he said. "It's an unforgiving terrain." Insp Mansfield confirmed the missing luggage had not been located. He said forensic searches of a home in Gin Gin had not identified anything significant. The town also rallied around the missing teen's family during the search for her with a Leave the Lights On for Pheobe campaign. Some posted photos online of their front lights switched on "to guide Pheobe home". Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance on August 11.
Perth Now
a day ago
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Vigil for Pheobe to follow grim bush discovery
A planned vigil in memory of slain teenager Pheobe Bishop will go ahead after police discovered human remains in national parkland. The find was made in "unforgiving" terrain southwest of Bundaberg, with investigators aiming to also recover the 17-year-old's missing luggage expected to wind up their efforts on Saturday evening. Officers discovered what were believed to be the teenager's remains about 2.30pm on Friday near Goodnight Scrub National Park, some 280km northeast of Brisbane and 9km from an earlier search site. Pheobe's housemates, James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, faced Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Friday, three weeks to the day after she missed a flight and vanished. Prosecutors allege the pair moved Pheobe's body multiple times. Her local community of Gin Gin has thrown its arms around Pheobe's family, with floral tributes laid outside the property she shared with Wood and Bromley. The community will hold a candlelight vigil at Kolan Community Park between 4pm and 6pm on Sunday. Locals have been asked to wear bright colours and butterflies. A second candlelight vigil will be held at Buss Park in nearby Bundaberg on Monday from 5pm. Well-wishers have left tributes on social media sites advertising the events. "May the love and light of the community surround Pheobe's family and friends during this difficult time, and may her spirit fly free R.I.P. sweet angel," one read on Saturday. Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP on Friday she believed the Bundaberg community to be a kind and accepting one. "To have this tragedy happen in our region ... it's been very difficult trying to make sense of it," she said. "We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward." Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Police allege Wood and Bromley drove Pheobe close to the airport but no one got out of the car. Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield revealed on Saturday the remains found at Goodnight Scrub were not buried but declined to offer specifics. "They were found in bushland ... coupled with snippets of information and telecommunications data; that's allowed us to find this location," he said. "It's an unforgiving terrain." Insp Mansfield confirmed the missing luggage had not been located. He said forensic searches of a home in Gin Gin had not identified anything significant. The town also rallied around the missing teen's family during the search for her with a Leave the Lights On for Pheobe campaign. Some posted photos online of their front lights switched on "to guide Pheobe home". Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance on August 11.
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Police hunt for missing luggage after teen's body found
Police will continue to comb unforgiving terrain where the remains of a missing teenager were found as they attempt to recover a key item to their murder investigation, her luggage. James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, were charged three weeks to the day after 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop missed a flight and vanished in southern Queensland. Officers discovered what are believed to be the teenager's remains about 2.30pm on Friday near Good Night Scrub National Park, about 280km northeast of Brisbane and nine kilometres from the original search site. Police allege Wood and Bromley moved Pheobe's body a number of times. Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield revealed on Saturday that the remains were not buried but did not give specifics of the scene. "The remains were found in bushland ... coupled with snippets of information and telecommunications data; that's allowed us to find this location," he said. "It's an unforgiving terrain." Detectives have set up a crime scene and continue to appeal for further information. Insp Mansfield confirmed the 17-year-old's luggage had not been located. He said forensic searches of a home in Gin Gin, where the girl lived, had not identified anything significant. "However that scene is complex, we are still waiting on a number of forensic results to come back from that examination," Insp Mansfield said. Officers have been in contact with Pheobe's family, with her mother Kylie Johnson quick to share her grief on social media. "I didn't think my heart could break anymore than it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart ..." she posted on Facebook. Wood and Bromley were housemates with Pheobe on the property at Gin Gin, a quiet regional community near Bundaberg left reeling from the tragedy. "There is a sense of 'this wouldn't happen here'," Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP. "We believe our community to be kind and accepting. "To have this tragedy happen in our region ... it's been very difficult trying to make sense of it." The community has thrown its arms around Pheobe's family, with floral tributes laid outside the property she shared with Wood and Bromley. A candlelight vigil has been organised on Sunday where locals will pay tribute to the beloved teen. "We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward," Cr Blackburn said. Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Police allege Wood and Bromley drove Pheobe close to the airport but no one got out of the car. Cr Blackburn said it had been "heart-wrenching" after locals had held on to hope for weeks. The Gin Gin community had rallied around the missing teen's family during the search with a Leave the Lights On for Pheobe campaign. Some posted photos on social media of their front lights switched on "to guide Pheobe home". Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next Bundaberg Magistrates Court appearance on August 11. Police will continue to comb unforgiving terrain where the remains of a missing teenager were found as they attempt to recover a key item to their murder investigation, her luggage. James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, were charged three weeks to the day after 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop missed a flight and vanished in southern Queensland. Officers discovered what are believed to be the teenager's remains about 2.30pm on Friday near Good Night Scrub National Park, about 280km northeast of Brisbane and nine kilometres from the original search site. Police allege Wood and Bromley moved Pheobe's body a number of times. Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield revealed on Saturday that the remains were not buried but did not give specifics of the scene. "The remains were found in bushland ... coupled with snippets of information and telecommunications data; that's allowed us to find this location," he said. "It's an unforgiving terrain." Detectives have set up a crime scene and continue to appeal for further information. Insp Mansfield confirmed the 17-year-old's luggage had not been located. He said forensic searches of a home in Gin Gin, where the girl lived, had not identified anything significant. "However that scene is complex, we are still waiting on a number of forensic results to come back from that examination," Insp Mansfield said. Officers have been in contact with Pheobe's family, with her mother Kylie Johnson quick to share her grief on social media. "I didn't think my heart could break anymore than it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart ..." she posted on Facebook. Wood and Bromley were housemates with Pheobe on the property at Gin Gin, a quiet regional community near Bundaberg left reeling from the tragedy. "There is a sense of 'this wouldn't happen here'," Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP. "We believe our community to be kind and accepting. "To have this tragedy happen in our region ... it's been very difficult trying to make sense of it." The community has thrown its arms around Pheobe's family, with floral tributes laid outside the property she shared with Wood and Bromley. A candlelight vigil has been organised on Sunday where locals will pay tribute to the beloved teen. "We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward," Cr Blackburn said. Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Police allege Wood and Bromley drove Pheobe close to the airport but no one got out of the car. Cr Blackburn said it had been "heart-wrenching" after locals had held on to hope for weeks. The Gin Gin community had rallied around the missing teen's family during the search with a Leave the Lights On for Pheobe campaign. Some posted photos on social media of their front lights switched on "to guide Pheobe home". Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next Bundaberg Magistrates Court appearance on August 11. Police will continue to comb unforgiving terrain where the remains of a missing teenager were found as they attempt to recover a key item to their murder investigation, her luggage. James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, were charged three weeks to the day after 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop missed a flight and vanished in southern Queensland. Officers discovered what are believed to be the teenager's remains about 2.30pm on Friday near Good Night Scrub National Park, about 280km northeast of Brisbane and nine kilometres from the original search site. Police allege Wood and Bromley moved Pheobe's body a number of times. Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield revealed on Saturday that the remains were not buried but did not give specifics of the scene. "The remains were found in bushland ... coupled with snippets of information and telecommunications data; that's allowed us to find this location," he said. "It's an unforgiving terrain." Detectives have set up a crime scene and continue to appeal for further information. Insp Mansfield confirmed the 17-year-old's luggage had not been located. He said forensic searches of a home in Gin Gin, where the girl lived, had not identified anything significant. "However that scene is complex, we are still waiting on a number of forensic results to come back from that examination," Insp Mansfield said. Officers have been in contact with Pheobe's family, with her mother Kylie Johnson quick to share her grief on social media. "I didn't think my heart could break anymore than it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart ..." she posted on Facebook. Wood and Bromley were housemates with Pheobe on the property at Gin Gin, a quiet regional community near Bundaberg left reeling from the tragedy. "There is a sense of 'this wouldn't happen here'," Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP. "We believe our community to be kind and accepting. "To have this tragedy happen in our region ... it's been very difficult trying to make sense of it." The community has thrown its arms around Pheobe's family, with floral tributes laid outside the property she shared with Wood and Bromley. A candlelight vigil has been organised on Sunday where locals will pay tribute to the beloved teen. "We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward," Cr Blackburn said. Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Police allege Wood and Bromley drove Pheobe close to the airport but no one got out of the car. Cr Blackburn said it had been "heart-wrenching" after locals had held on to hope for weeks. The Gin Gin community had rallied around the missing teen's family during the search with a Leave the Lights On for Pheobe campaign. Some posted photos on social media of their front lights switched on "to guide Pheobe home". Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next Bundaberg Magistrates Court appearance on August 11. Police will continue to comb unforgiving terrain where the remains of a missing teenager were found as they attempt to recover a key item to their murder investigation, her luggage. James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, were charged three weeks to the day after 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop missed a flight and vanished in southern Queensland. Officers discovered what are believed to be the teenager's remains about 2.30pm on Friday near Good Night Scrub National Park, about 280km northeast of Brisbane and nine kilometres from the original search site. Police allege Wood and Bromley moved Pheobe's body a number of times. Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield revealed on Saturday that the remains were not buried but did not give specifics of the scene. "The remains were found in bushland ... coupled with snippets of information and telecommunications data; that's allowed us to find this location," he said. "It's an unforgiving terrain." Detectives have set up a crime scene and continue to appeal for further information. Insp Mansfield confirmed the 17-year-old's luggage had not been located. He said forensic searches of a home in Gin Gin, where the girl lived, had not identified anything significant. "However that scene is complex, we are still waiting on a number of forensic results to come back from that examination," Insp Mansfield said. Officers have been in contact with Pheobe's family, with her mother Kylie Johnson quick to share her grief on social media. "I didn't think my heart could break anymore than it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart ..." she posted on Facebook. Wood and Bromley were housemates with Pheobe on the property at Gin Gin, a quiet regional community near Bundaberg left reeling from the tragedy. "There is a sense of 'this wouldn't happen here'," Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP. "We believe our community to be kind and accepting. "To have this tragedy happen in our region ... it's been very difficult trying to make sense of it." The community has thrown its arms around Pheobe's family, with floral tributes laid outside the property she shared with Wood and Bromley. A candlelight vigil has been organised on Sunday where locals will pay tribute to the beloved teen. "We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward," Cr Blackburn said. Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Police allege Wood and Bromley drove Pheobe close to the airport but no one got out of the car. Cr Blackburn said it had been "heart-wrenching" after locals had held on to hope for weeks. The Gin Gin community had rallied around the missing teen's family during the search with a Leave the Lights On for Pheobe campaign. Some posted photos on social media of their front lights switched on "to guide Pheobe home". Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next Bundaberg Magistrates Court appearance on August 11.
