Latest news with #Pene
Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
ConnectGlobal: Christian pastor from Andrew O'Keefe rehab arrested
Local police were concerned about the number of bail breaches at the facility. The council had also refused to grant it permission to operate as a group home, although the Land and Environment Court partly overturned the council's decision. Andrew O'Keefe meeting Pastor Ross Pene as he checks into rehab at Connect Global. In early January, an alleged drug importer Hussein Chamas allegedly fled the centre. He was arrested soon after by Australian Federal Police on a $200,000 yacht off the Northern Territory, on his way to freedom in Indonesia. Loading The rehab shared the site with private cabins, often rented to single parents desperate for accommodation amid the region's housing shortage. Between 2017 and 2020, some of the cabins were also used as emergency accommodation for children in state care. Connect Global's board decided in late January to begin winding up the charity in the wake of the Herald's exposé, which prompted an urgent and yet-to-be finalised review by the NSW attorney-general. The charity is in administration and its charity status has also been revoked. Pene, 68, a Harley-riding New Zealand-born pastor, established Connect Global in 2013. He has worked with addicts around Newcastle for decades; the Connect Global website described him as a visionary. Pene had also performed weddings, funerals, christenings and 'spiritual stuff' for bikies and has entertained the Finks and Bandidos for afternoon tea, he told a court last year. The former Fisherman's Village tourist resort in Port Stephens was used as a rehab centre by Connect Global. Connect Global, a registered charity, purported to be heavily Christian; the intake agreement said all church-related activities, particularly the Sunday service, were mandatory. For years, judges have allowed defendants to be sent there despite council's refusal to grant permission, often on the strength of Pene's testimony in court; one described being 'extremely impressed' by the program and the pastor's 'obvious commitment to it'. Loading Pene was arrested at the Swan Bay site, where he was still living, on Wednesday, and taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station. He was charged with five counts of 'do act etc intending' to pervert the course of justice relating to five patients. He pleaded not guilty in Raymond Terrace Local Court on Wednesday afternoon, where he was granted bail. Start the day with a summary of the day's most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
The Advertiser
7 days ago
- The Advertiser
Former Port Stephens rehab centre CEO charged with perverting the course of justice
THE former chief executive of under fire Swan Bay rehabilitation centre Global Connect has been charged with perverting the course of justice for allegedly issuing false reports about participants' drug use. Christian Pastor Ross Pene, 68, appeared in Raymond Terrace Local Court on Wednesday afternoon charged with five counts of perverting the course of justice after a 12-month investigation by Strike Force Toopuntul. He pleaded not guilty to all counts and was granted bail on a number of conditions, including reporting to police and a $20,000 surety. The matter was adjourned until next month. The Swan Bay centre had operated a community outreach program for men at "Fisherman's Village" for a decade before it was closed earlier this year after sustained criticism from police, bail breaches and raids. Former Channel 7 TV star Andrew O'Keefe was among those granted bail to reside in the village, where 29 of the on-site cabins were used for rehabilitation purposes and 10 were used for tourism. According to police, the State Crime Command's Raptor Squad North began investigating the rehabilitation centre on the banks of the Karuah River in May, 2024. Detectives raided the centre on October 11 last year and seized electronic devices and documents that they allege uncovered Pene issuing fraudulent reports about the drug use of participants who were required to be at the facility drug free as part of their bail conditions. Pene was arrested at Swan Bay on Wednesday morning and taken to Raymond Terrace police station where he was charged and refused bail by police. He spent the day in the cells before he was granted bail on Wednesday afternoon. THE former chief executive of under fire Swan Bay rehabilitation centre Global Connect has been charged with perverting the course of justice for allegedly issuing false reports about participants' drug use. Christian Pastor Ross Pene, 68, appeared in Raymond Terrace Local Court on Wednesday afternoon charged with five counts of perverting the course of justice after a 12-month investigation by Strike Force Toopuntul. He pleaded not guilty to all counts and was granted bail on a number of conditions, including reporting to police and a $20,000 surety. The matter was adjourned until next month. The Swan Bay centre had operated a community outreach program for men at "Fisherman's Village" for a decade before it was closed earlier this year after sustained criticism from police, bail breaches and raids. Former Channel 7 TV star Andrew O'Keefe was among those granted bail to reside in the village, where 29 of the on-site cabins were used for rehabilitation purposes and 10 were used for tourism. According to police, the State Crime Command's Raptor Squad North began investigating the rehabilitation centre on the banks of the Karuah River in May, 2024. Detectives raided the centre on October 11 last year and seized electronic devices and documents that they allege uncovered Pene issuing fraudulent reports about the drug use of participants who were required to be at the facility drug free as part of their bail conditions. Pene was arrested at Swan Bay on Wednesday morning and taken to Raymond Terrace police station where he was charged and refused bail by police. He spent the day in the cells before he was granted bail on Wednesday afternoon. THE former chief executive of under fire Swan Bay rehabilitation centre Global Connect has been charged with perverting the course of justice for allegedly issuing false reports about participants' drug use. Christian Pastor Ross Pene, 68, appeared in Raymond Terrace Local Court on Wednesday afternoon charged with five counts of perverting the course of justice after a 12-month investigation by Strike Force Toopuntul. He pleaded not guilty to all counts and was granted bail on a number of conditions, including reporting to police and a $20,000 surety. The matter was adjourned until next month. The Swan Bay centre had operated a community outreach program for men at "Fisherman's Village" for a decade before it was closed earlier this year after sustained criticism from police, bail breaches and raids. Former Channel 7 TV star Andrew O'Keefe was among those granted bail to reside in the village, where 29 of the on-site cabins were used for rehabilitation purposes and 10 were used for tourism. According to police, the State Crime Command's Raptor Squad North began investigating the rehabilitation centre on the banks of the Karuah River in May, 2024. Detectives raided the centre on October 11 last year and seized electronic devices and documents that they allege uncovered Pene issuing fraudulent reports about the drug use of participants who were required to be at the facility drug free as part of their bail conditions. Pene was arrested at Swan Bay on Wednesday morning and taken to Raymond Terrace police station where he was charged and refused bail by police. He spent the day in the cells before he was granted bail on Wednesday afternoon. THE former chief executive of under fire Swan Bay rehabilitation centre Global Connect has been charged with perverting the course of justice for allegedly issuing false reports about participants' drug use. Christian Pastor Ross Pene, 68, appeared in Raymond Terrace Local Court on Wednesday afternoon charged with five counts of perverting the course of justice after a 12-month investigation by Strike Force Toopuntul. He pleaded not guilty to all counts and was granted bail on a number of conditions, including reporting to police and a $20,000 surety. The matter was adjourned until next month. The Swan Bay centre had operated a community outreach program for men at "Fisherman's Village" for a decade before it was closed earlier this year after sustained criticism from police, bail breaches and raids. Former Channel 7 TV star Andrew O'Keefe was among those granted bail to reside in the village, where 29 of the on-site cabins were used for rehabilitation purposes and 10 were used for tourism. According to police, the State Crime Command's Raptor Squad North began investigating the rehabilitation centre on the banks of the Karuah River in May, 2024. Detectives raided the centre on October 11 last year and seized electronic devices and documents that they allege uncovered Pene issuing fraudulent reports about the drug use of participants who were required to be at the facility drug free as part of their bail conditions. Pene was arrested at Swan Bay on Wednesday morning and taken to Raymond Terrace police station where he was charged and refused bail by police. He spent the day in the cells before he was granted bail on Wednesday afternoon.
