logo
Terror suspect killed couple after tracking 'failure'

Terror suspect killed couple after tracking 'failure'

Perth Now08-05-2025

A terror suspect killed an elderly couple while on bail after a monitoring company's "failure" to notify specialist police of his tracking device's removal, a coroner has found.
Raghe Mohamed Abdi, 22, was shot dead by Queensland Police on the Logan Motorway at Drewvale in Brisbane's south on December 17, 2020.
Officers were responding to reports of a man walking on the verge of the motorway when Abdi pulled out a knife and ran at them yelling "Allahu akbar".
Police later discovered that Maurice Antill, 87, and his wife, Zoe Antill, 86, had been bashed and stabbed to death in their home in the nearby suburb of Parkinson.
Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher has released her findings into the three deaths following inquest hearings in July 2023 and March 2024.
Ms Gallagher found police used appropriate force when they fatally shot Abdi as he kept advancing despite the officers moving away and giving him time to comply with commands to drop his knife.
She also found Mr and Mrs Antill were killed by Abdi in an apparently random attack.
"It will be very difficult for Maurice and Zoe's family to hear that we will never know exactly why Raghe took the actions that he did," Ms Gallagher said in her findings.
Abdi had been on bail for charges relating to his alleged plan to fight in Syria's civil war and been fitted with an electronic monitoring device.
The Australian-born man was also being investigated by Queensland's Joint Counter Terrorism Team.
"He was still able to remove his EMD and evade the authorities," Ms Gallagher said.
"This is not a satisfactory set of circumstances, particularly when Raghe was able to cause such harm while unmonitored."
The day before killing Mr and Mrs Antill, Abdi walked into bushland at Parkinson and removed his tracking device.
A tamper alert was detected by the company monitoring the device and it was passed on to police immediately.
However, Ms Gallagher found the company did not follow instructions to notify a counter-terrorism officer via his personal mobile phone.
"The evidence before the court is that this failure was due to human error," Ms Gallagher said.
"Again, this is less than satisfactory.
"But I am satisfied that there have been appropriate steps taken by both the monitoring company and by the relevant law enforcement agencies to prevent such failure from occurring again."
The tamper notification was sent to the counter-terror officer's work email address but he was off-shift at the time and did not have access to his work phone.
Ms Gallagher found it unlikely that an immediate notification to the officer would have allowed enough time to prevent Mr and Mrs Antill's deaths.
She found Abdi suffered from mental health issues and "was becoming more and more radicalised" despite police efforts to intervene.
"I extend my sincere condolences to Maurice and Zoe's family, and to Raghe's family," Ms Gallagher said.
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Fire rips through Storage King facility at Burpengary, north of Brisbane
Fire rips through Storage King facility at Burpengary, north of Brisbane

7NEWS

timean hour ago

  • 7NEWS

Fire rips through Storage King facility at Burpengary, north of Brisbane

A fire destroyed a major storage facility on Wednesday night. The blaze began ripping through the Storage King on Old Gympie Rd at Burpengary, north of Brisbane, from about 6pm. It's unclear at this stage how many customers had goods stored within the facility. Toxic smoke plumed from the business, and prompted a warning to nearby residents. 'A large volume of smoke is affecting the surrounding area, including the Bruce Hwy,' Queensland Fire Department said. Two people who breathed in the smoke were treated by paramedics, and one person was hospitalised. Queensland Police issued a Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA), with major roadways impacted by the smoke. One passenger in a car driving past on a highway could be heard in footage of the incident, saying he could feel the heat of the fire from the car, and urging the driver not to stop. The PSPA exclusion zone encompassed New Settlement Rd, Pitt Rd, Bellini Rd, Twists Rd and Old Bay Rd. It has since been revoked. 'There is no ongoing threat to the public,' police said.

Schoolkids don't need smartphones: A Sydney mum's ban on her teenager having a phone should not baffle educators
Schoolkids don't need smartphones: A Sydney mum's ban on her teenager having a phone should not baffle educators

Sky News AU

time3 hours ago

  • Sky News AU

Schoolkids don't need smartphones: A Sydney mum's ban on her teenager having a phone should not baffle educators

A 13-year-old boy is being teased by classmates. Not for his clothes, his grades, or his hairstyle - but because he doesn't have a smartphone. Sydney mother of three and primary school teacher, Monica Cura, made the decision years ago to hold off. No screen time before age five. An iPad at nine, purely for schoolwork. And phones? That's a firm not yet. 'It wasn't even something we discussed,' Ms Cura told me. 'It just didn't occur to us to give him one. He'll get one when he can afford to buy it himself. Until then, there's no need.' Her stance is clear, consistent, and deeply rational: her son doesn't need a phone, she can't adequately monitor one, and frankly, he's still a child. But apparently, that makes Ms Cura, and her son, a target. 'He does get comments from other kids' she said. 'His friends call him 'iPad boy' because that's what he uses at home to talk to them.' What's more disturbing is that the comments aren't just coming from other kids. 'Teachers have made comments to him suggesting it was odd that he didn't have a phone," she told me. 'His sporting coach pulled my husband aside to ask why he wasn't on the team group chat with the other children'. This is where the story stops being quirky and starts being concerning. Because when adults are reinforcing the idea that every child should have a smartphone, and subtly shaming those who don't, we've lost our way. As a child psychologist, I hear stories like hers far too often. What used to be a considered parenting decision - to delay giving a child a phone - has now become something a parent feels they must defend. Ms Cura's son isn't isolated or unsafe. He trains at an elite level in soccer, catches public transport independently, and communicates with friends at home via his iPad - with appropriate boundaries in place. And yet, he's being made to feel like an outsider, not just by his peers, but by the very adults meant to support his wellbeing. 'He doesn't even nag us about it,' Ms Cura said. 'He knows where we stand. He did try to make a case - he said he needs it for training updates or because he catches the bus. But we get the emails too. 'And he can actually walk to school if he wants. He just thought maybe that excuse would convince us.' But she and her husband held firm. 'We've had parents come up to us and say, 'Wow, that's amazing, I wish I'd done that.' Others have said they gave their kids phones and now regret it.' I see the clinical consequences of early, unrestricted smartphone access every week. Kids who are anxious, distracted, emotionally volatile. Children as young as 10 exposed to violent pornographic content. Pre-teens addicted to dopamine-driven social media feedback loops. And parents bewildered at how fast they lost control. As of 2023, 37 per cent of Australian children under the age of 12 own a smartphone, an increase from 22 per cent in 2018. According to a global OECD report, Australian teenagers average 49 hours a week on digital devices, placing them among the heaviest users worldwide. Notably, 12 per cent of Australian teenagers spend over 80 hours weekly on screens. That's the equivalent of a full-time job - plus overtime - spent staring at a screen. For a generation still forming its identity, attention span, and social skills, this level of exposure isn't just excessive; it's developmentally catastrophic. Smartphones aren't neutral tools. They're highly sophisticated devices designed to hold adult attention - let alone that of a still-developing brain. From a neurological standpoint, the prefrontal cortex, responsible for impulse control, planning, and risk assessment, continues developing into the mid-20s. Children and early teens are simply not equipped to self-regulate their usage, navigate social comparison, or resist the pull of addictive algorithms. Giving them unfiltered access to that kind of power is, quite literally, developmentally mismatched. And yet culturally, we're doing exactly that - en masse. The problem isn't just that kids want phones. It's that adults have normalised this want as a need. Teachers ask why a child doesn't have a phone, instead of asking why so many do. Coaches expect group chats with 13-year-olds, instead of communicating with parents. We act like having a device is a developmental milestone, rather than a lifestyle choice. Ms Cura, to her credit, has stood her ground. 'We just don't see why he needs one,' she said. 'They're on screens all the time at school. Homework's online. That's already enough. Outside of that, they need to be looking around, being present. But instead you see kids and adults walking around with their heads down, staring at screens.' She's right. The presence of a phone changes the entire ecology of a child's world. It alters how they interact with peers, with parents, with boredom, with the physical world itself. And often, it robs them of things that are developmentally essential - creativity, stillness, resilience, even real friendship. Some parents justify early phone use for safety. Ms Cura doesn't buy it. 'People say, 'Oh, they need it to get picked up from school.' But there are phones that just receive calls,' she said. 'There are other ways to manage that. You don't need a smartphone with access to everything.' She's right again. The real reason most kids have phones isn't necessity. It's convenience. It's conformity. It's because the rest of us gave in. But Ms Cura's story shows something powerful: you cansay no. You can delay. And your child will not combust. They may, in fact, turn out better for it. We need more parents like her, not fewer. Parents who don't outsource boundaries to the crowd. Who understand that development doesn't speed up just because society has. And who are willing to put up with the teasing, the eye-rolls, and the awkward silences because they care more about raising a whole child than a popular one. And if you're a parent holding out, or wanting to, let this story be your reminder: you're not crazy. You're just ahead of the curve. Clare Rowe is a Sky News contributor.

Origin star stops 'creepy' NRL teammate groping woman
Origin star stops 'creepy' NRL teammate groping woman

The Advertiser

time8 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Origin star stops 'creepy' NRL teammate groping woman

A former NRL player acquitted of rape has admitted groping a woman on a night out with Brisbane players, prompting teammate Patrick Carrigan to intervene. Teui "TC" Robati, 23, has been sentenced to probation for sexually assaulting the woman at a bar in a "creepy" incident witnessed by former Broncos skipper Carrigan. The ex-NRL backrower made the admission minutes after being found not guilty of two counts of raping a different woman in another incident days earlier. Robati on Wednesday pleaded guilty to indecently groping a 21-year-old woman's breast at a Brisbane bar on the night of December 21, 2022. His then-teammate - Queensland State of Origin forward Carrigan - saw Robati assault the woman and stepped in to stop him, Brisbane District Court was told. Judge William Everson told Robati his offending was "brazen and quite frankly creepy", leaving the victim feeling completely violated. "Your conduct demonstrates a very disrespectful attitude toward women," Judge Everson said. Robati had earlier been on trial charged with rape over the separate incident. Robati on Monday pleaded not guilty to raping a woman twice in the disabled toilet of a pub in the inner-Brisbane suburb of Fortitude Valley on December 11, 2022. Defence barrister David Funch had told the jury it was accepted Robati had sexual contact with the woman after exposing himself but he thought he had consent. "It's poor behaviour but poor behaviour does not make you a rapist," Mr Funch said. The jury had deliberated for nine hours since Tuesday following a trial lasting one-and-a-half days. Robati made his NRL debut in 2021 after shining for Brisbane affiliate club Wynnum-Manly in the Queensland Cup. He played 10 NRL games in 2021 and backed it up with a further seven in 2022 after making that year's Maori All Stars team. The New Zealand-born forward had signed an extension until the end of 2024 but was axed by the Broncos in February 2023, before the NRL season started. Mr Funch had earlier told Judge Everson Robati had "lost everything" and was working in road construction and food packaging. "He remains hopeful of resuming his professional career and he has been in discussion with one other NRL team located in Sydney," Mr Funch said. "He has been informed by his manager that once these charges are finalised then he can resume his hopes of a professional career." Mr Funch asked Judge Everson not to record a conviction against Robati owing to his disadvantaged background while growing up in New Zealand. "He was a young man thrust into the limelight, all of a sudden enjoying fame and fortune, lined with the attention of others combined with alcohol," he said. "In the surreal position with fame at such a young age he was not equipped to handle himself appropriately." In sentencing, Judge Everson said he needed to send a message society condemned those who assaulted women. "That you felt entitled to sexually assault a woman is most concerning," he said. Judge Everson said he was reluctant to affect Robati's rehabilitation and did not record a conviction for his "reprehensible behaviour". "You are still a young man, you are hoping to rehabilitate yourself and resurrect your football career," he said. Robati walked from court after being sentenced to a two-year probation order. His legal representative outside court said Robati thanked the jury for its rape trial verdict and he was ready to move on with his life. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 A former NRL player acquitted of rape has admitted groping a woman on a night out with Brisbane players, prompting teammate Patrick Carrigan to intervene. Teui "TC" Robati, 23, has been sentenced to probation for sexually assaulting the woman at a bar in a "creepy" incident witnessed by former Broncos skipper Carrigan. The ex-NRL backrower made the admission minutes after being found not guilty of two counts of raping a different woman in another incident days earlier. Robati on Wednesday pleaded guilty to indecently groping a 21-year-old woman's breast at a Brisbane bar on the night of December 21, 2022. His then-teammate - Queensland State of Origin forward Carrigan - saw Robati assault the woman and stepped in to stop him, Brisbane District Court was told. Judge William Everson told Robati his offending was "brazen and quite frankly creepy", leaving the victim feeling completely violated. "Your conduct demonstrates a very disrespectful attitude toward women," Judge Everson said. Robati had earlier been on trial charged with rape over the separate incident. Robati on Monday pleaded not guilty to raping a woman twice in the disabled toilet of a pub in the inner-Brisbane suburb of Fortitude Valley on December 11, 2022. Defence barrister David Funch had told the jury it was accepted Robati had sexual contact with the woman after exposing himself but he thought he had consent. "It's poor behaviour but poor behaviour does not make you a rapist," Mr Funch said. The jury had deliberated for nine hours since Tuesday following a trial lasting one-and-a-half days. Robati made his NRL debut in 2021 after shining for Brisbane affiliate club Wynnum-Manly in the Queensland Cup. He played 10 NRL games in 2021 and backed it up with a further seven in 2022 after making that year's Maori All Stars team. The New Zealand-born forward had signed an extension until the end of 2024 but was axed by the Broncos in February 2023, before the NRL season started. Mr Funch had earlier told Judge Everson Robati had "lost everything" and was working in road construction and food packaging. "He remains hopeful of resuming his professional career and he has been in discussion with one other NRL team located in Sydney," Mr Funch said. "He has been informed by his manager that once these charges are finalised then he can resume his hopes of a professional career." Mr Funch asked Judge Everson not to record a conviction against Robati owing to his disadvantaged background while growing up in New Zealand. "He was a young man thrust into the limelight, all of a sudden enjoying fame and fortune, lined with the attention of others combined with alcohol," he said. "In the surreal position with fame at such a young age he was not equipped to handle himself appropriately." In sentencing, Judge Everson said he needed to send a message society condemned those who assaulted women. "That you felt entitled to sexually assault a woman is most concerning," he said. Judge Everson said he was reluctant to affect Robati's rehabilitation and did not record a conviction for his "reprehensible behaviour". "You are still a young man, you are hoping to rehabilitate yourself and resurrect your football career," he said. Robati walked from court after being sentenced to a two-year probation order. His legal representative outside court said Robati thanked the jury for its rape trial verdict and he was ready to move on with his life. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 A former NRL player acquitted of rape has admitted groping a woman on a night out with Brisbane players, prompting teammate Patrick Carrigan to intervene. Teui "TC" Robati, 23, has been sentenced to probation for sexually assaulting the woman at a bar in a "creepy" incident witnessed by former Broncos skipper Carrigan. The ex-NRL backrower made the admission minutes after being found not guilty of two counts of raping a different woman in another incident days earlier. Robati on Wednesday pleaded guilty to indecently groping a 21-year-old woman's breast at a Brisbane bar on the night of December 21, 2022. His then-teammate - Queensland State of Origin forward Carrigan - saw Robati assault the woman and stepped in to stop him, Brisbane District Court was told. Judge William Everson told Robati his offending was "brazen and quite frankly creepy", leaving the victim feeling completely violated. "Your conduct demonstrates a very disrespectful attitude toward women," Judge Everson said. Robati had earlier been on trial charged with rape over the separate incident. Robati on Monday pleaded not guilty to raping a woman twice in the disabled toilet of a pub in the inner-Brisbane suburb of Fortitude Valley on December 11, 2022. Defence barrister David Funch had told the jury it was accepted Robati had sexual contact with the woman after exposing himself but he thought he had consent. "It's poor behaviour but poor behaviour does not make you a rapist," Mr Funch said. The jury had deliberated for nine hours since Tuesday following a trial lasting one-and-a-half days. Robati made his NRL debut in 2021 after shining for Brisbane affiliate club Wynnum-Manly in the Queensland Cup. He played 10 NRL games in 2021 and backed it up with a further seven in 2022 after making that year's Maori All Stars team. The New Zealand-born forward had signed an extension until the end of 2024 but was axed by the Broncos in February 2023, before the NRL season started. Mr Funch had earlier told Judge Everson Robati had "lost everything" and was working in road construction and food packaging. "He remains hopeful of resuming his professional career and he has been in discussion with one other NRL team located in Sydney," Mr Funch said. "He has been informed by his manager that once these charges are finalised then he can resume his hopes of a professional career." Mr Funch asked Judge Everson not to record a conviction against Robati owing to his disadvantaged background while growing up in New Zealand. "He was a young man thrust into the limelight, all of a sudden enjoying fame and fortune, lined with the attention of others combined with alcohol," he said. "In the surreal position with fame at such a young age he was not equipped to handle himself appropriately." In sentencing, Judge Everson said he needed to send a message society condemned those who assaulted women. "That you felt entitled to sexually assault a woman is most concerning," he said. Judge Everson said he was reluctant to affect Robati's rehabilitation and did not record a conviction for his "reprehensible behaviour". "You are still a young man, you are hoping to rehabilitate yourself and resurrect your football career," he said. Robati walked from court after being sentenced to a two-year probation order. His legal representative outside court said Robati thanked the jury for its rape trial verdict and he was ready to move on with his life. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 A former NRL player acquitted of rape has admitted groping a woman on a night out with Brisbane players, prompting teammate Patrick Carrigan to intervene. Teui "TC" Robati, 23, has been sentenced to probation for sexually assaulting the woman at a bar in a "creepy" incident witnessed by former Broncos skipper Carrigan. The ex-NRL backrower made the admission minutes after being found not guilty of two counts of raping a different woman in another incident days earlier. Robati on Wednesday pleaded guilty to indecently groping a 21-year-old woman's breast at a Brisbane bar on the night of December 21, 2022. His then-teammate - Queensland State of Origin forward Carrigan - saw Robati assault the woman and stepped in to stop him, Brisbane District Court was told. Judge William Everson told Robati his offending was "brazen and quite frankly creepy", leaving the victim feeling completely violated. "Your conduct demonstrates a very disrespectful attitude toward women," Judge Everson said. Robati had earlier been on trial charged with rape over the separate incident. Robati on Monday pleaded not guilty to raping a woman twice in the disabled toilet of a pub in the inner-Brisbane suburb of Fortitude Valley on December 11, 2022. Defence barrister David Funch had told the jury it was accepted Robati had sexual contact with the woman after exposing himself but he thought he had consent. "It's poor behaviour but poor behaviour does not make you a rapist," Mr Funch said. The jury had deliberated for nine hours since Tuesday following a trial lasting one-and-a-half days. Robati made his NRL debut in 2021 after shining for Brisbane affiliate club Wynnum-Manly in the Queensland Cup. He played 10 NRL games in 2021 and backed it up with a further seven in 2022 after making that year's Maori All Stars team. The New Zealand-born forward had signed an extension until the end of 2024 but was axed by the Broncos in February 2023, before the NRL season started. Mr Funch had earlier told Judge Everson Robati had "lost everything" and was working in road construction and food packaging. "He remains hopeful of resuming his professional career and he has been in discussion with one other NRL team located in Sydney," Mr Funch said. "He has been informed by his manager that once these charges are finalised then he can resume his hopes of a professional career." Mr Funch asked Judge Everson not to record a conviction against Robati owing to his disadvantaged background while growing up in New Zealand. "He was a young man thrust into the limelight, all of a sudden enjoying fame and fortune, lined with the attention of others combined with alcohol," he said. "In the surreal position with fame at such a young age he was not equipped to handle himself appropriately." In sentencing, Judge Everson said he needed to send a message society condemned those who assaulted women. "That you felt entitled to sexually assault a woman is most concerning," he said. Judge Everson said he was reluctant to affect Robati's rehabilitation and did not record a conviction for his "reprehensible behaviour". "You are still a young man, you are hoping to rehabilitate yourself and resurrect your football career," he said. Robati walked from court after being sentenced to a two-year probation order. His legal representative outside court said Robati thanked the jury for its rape trial verdict and he was ready to move on with his life. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store