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7NEWS
29 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Former MP Amy MacMahon's drunk driver learns her fate in unexpected courtroom twist
A young woman whose alcohol-fuelled crash left former Greens MP Amy MacMahon critically injured has been spared jail — with the unexpected support of the victim herself. The crash occurred around 6.30 pm on Monday, 12 February 2024, at the busy intersection of Baines Street and Main Street in Kangaroo Point, Brisbane. In a surprising courtroom twist, MacMahon delivered a powerful victim impact statement urging the judge to show mercy to drunk driver Rani Lowry, who critically injured her. MacMahon spent weeks in a coma, suffering a traumatic brain injury after the crash. Red light, high speed, and three times the limit Lowry, 27, was behind the wheel of a Hyundai i30 when she ran a red light at Kangaroo Point last year, slamming into MacMahon's Toyota Prius at high speed. CCTV footage showed Lowry travelling 23 kilometres per hour over the speed limit, and tests revealed she was three times over the legal alcohol limit. The collision left MacMahon fighting for her life. She was rushed to Princess Alexandra Hospital with severe head injuries and a suspected spinal fracture. The crash sent shockwaves through the political community, drawing support from colleagues across party lines and prompting an outpouring of public concern. But it was MacMahon's actions in court on Friday that stunned observers. 'I am willing to help' Despite the life-altering injuries she sustained, the former MP addressed the court with empathy and compassion, asking the judge to consider the young woman's struggles. 'If you need support to be able to devote your time to making the community a better place, I am willing to help,' MacMahon wrote in a deeply moving statement of support for Lowry. Lowry's lawyer told the court she had fallen into a downward spiral of alcohol dependence following the sudden death of her brother. The court also heard she had shown genuine remorse and had taken steps toward rehabilitation. No prison, but a long road ahead While condemning Lowry's actions as 'dangerously reckless,' the judge sentenced her to a three-year parole term, meaning she will not serve time behind bars unless she breaches her parole conditions. The judge acknowledged the exceptional nature of the victim's plea and said MacMahon's compassion carried significant weight in the decision. Elected in 2020, MacMahon quickly became known for her fierce advocacy on issues such as housing, climate change, and social justice. However, the Greens MP lost her South Brisbane seat to a Labor candidate in 2024.
7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
Rapist energy healer who fled Australia jailed
A self-described holistic energy healer who sexually assaulted two vulnerable women before fleeing Australia has been sentenced to prison. Helio Taiyang Matahari, 63 — who has used at least five aliases — appeared in Brisbane District Court on Friday after being extradited back to Australia for sentencing. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Matahari pleaded guilty to rape and two counts of sexual assault, nearly eight years after the offences first occurred. The court heard that in December 2017, Matahari violated the trust of a 20-year-old woman who had sought him out for holistic therapy after being introduced through her family. Her mother had also consulted him for kinesiology treatments. Matahari raped the woman during a session, exploiting her vulnerability and disguising his actions as part of her treatment, the court was told. 'She was already feeling quite uneasy … and you progressed with touching her under the guise of therapy,' Judge Deborah Richards said during sentencing. The victim delivered a powerful and emotional statement in court, supported by her father. 'I never in my life felt so small, so powerless, so utterly violated, as I did from the assault itself and the days that followed,' she said. 'But the impacts aren't just consigned to what happened on the day. It's about the seven years that have followed — seven long years of waiting, hoping, and having to constantly relive the assault without the ability to finally let it go.' A second woman came forward in 2018, alleging she too had been sexually assaulted by Matahari. In April 2021, Matahari pleaded guilty to the charges involving both women. However, before sentencing could take place, he withdrew his plea and fled Australia, travelling to Thailand in December 2021. He remained overseas until he was deported to Australia and extradited from New South Wales to Brisbane earlier this year. Appearing in court on Friday, Matahari was also charged with breach of bail, to which he was arraigned that same day. 'You had to be dragged back,' Judge Richards said pointedly during sentencing. The Crown prosecutor described Matahari's conduct as 'predatory and opportunistic sexual offending committed against two vulnerable women which continued undeterred.' In his defence, Matahari's lawyers cited an extensive work history across various fields and submitted character references that praised his integrity. But Judge Richards dismissed the portrayal: 'You don't have integrity when you run away from your charges and leave victims hanging while you're basically hiding from the law,' she said. 'It's extraordinary people would speak of him in these terms if they knew what he'd done.'
7NEWS
an hour ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Nick Daicos finally ends 82-game drought with first contested mark of his career
It's taken 82 games, but Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos has finally taken a contested mark. The strange stat has become a talking point in recent times, with even teammates aware of it. But the talk is officially dead, with Daicos achieving the stat in the opening minutes of Friday night's clash against Hawthorn. Veteran Steele Sidebottom collected a loose ball on the wing and cut back inside to spot up Daicos in the centre circle. The gun midfielder had James Worpel on his hammer but stood tall to hold onto the mark that was officially recognised as contested. The moment wasn't lost on the Channel7 commentary team. 'That looked like a contested mark to me,' Richmond great Matthew Richardson said. 'I think it is, is that the numero uno?' James Braydshaw asked. 'I'm calling it, that had to be,' Richardson confidently replied. Earlier in the season, brother Josh joked about Nick's lack of contested marks. After the Anzac Day game against Essendon, Josh was pretty happy to talk about it following his own electric performance that included 36 touches and, yes, two contested marks. 'We get into Nick sometimes trying to get him a contested mark,' Josh said on Fox Footy. 'When they saw me have two back-to-back (contested marks) they got around me which made me feel good.' Teammate Isaac Quaynor also spoke about it during the Round 9 win over Fremantle. 'You want Nick Daicos wherever you can get him and it's good to have him up forward,' Quaynor told Channel 7 during the half-time break. 'He almost took his (first ever) contested mark. 'We've been trying to get him a contested mark all year, so it was close.' The contested mark drought hasn't appeared to bother Daicos at all. The 22-year-old continues to dominate the competition and remains the Brownlow Medal favourite.
7NEWS
an hour ago
- Health
- 7NEWS
Life-threatening discovery made on teen's brain after freak bike accident lands him in hospital
Doctors have made a startling but potentially life-saving discovery inside a teenage boy's skull after he was rushed to the emergency room following a 'freak accident.' Theo Phillips, 13, landed awkwardly after tripping on the back wheel of his bike while at a skatepark in April, with the brake lever on his handlebars slicing into the roof of his mouth and cheek. His mother took him to Joondalup Health Campus in Perth's northern suburbs to get patched up. A precautionary CT scan was ordered to ensure there was no serious damage to his jaw. It was during this scan that doctors made an unsettling discovery — a mass the size of a large orange growing on his brain. 'Theo and I just looked at each other and Theo started crying, asking, 'Am I going to die?'' his mum, Lucy Phillips, told 'I was trying to play it down and stay as calm as possible until we could look at the charts and know exactly what it was.' Doctors believe the mass had been growing on Theo's brain since birth. The family said there was little warning that the teen — who has a passion for bikes and motorbikes — had been in any danger. Further tests revealed that Theo has no right-hand peripheral vision. His mother now believes that may have contributed to previous accidents, including concussions and two broken collarbones. 'He was a walking, talking, normal child,' Phillips said. 'This would have kept growing. It could have been fatal if it had burst.' Theo underwent surgery on May 5, during which doctors removed the rare choroid plexus papilloma — a benign tumour — in a lengthy and complex procedure that carried significant risks. The operation was considered a success, but in the days that followed, Theo was in severe pain. He suffered muscle seizures, avoided opening his eyes, and was unable to eat or stand. An emergency scan a week later revealed a large amount of blood had pooled on his brain. Within 30 minutes, he was being prepped for another procedure. 'This time his recovery has been a lot more positive,' Phillips said. 'After the first surgery, he was confused, didn't know his brother's name, my name, and struggled to hold a conversation. 'He was crying out in pain, day and night, even with the medication. 'We've been building him up slowly. We can't rush anything. There are steps forward and back, but we're taking it day by day.' Theo was finally able to return home on Tuesday but faces a long road to recovery, with intensive therapy and rehabilitation ahead. The light at the end of the tunnel for Theo is the hope of getting back on his bike. '(Theo) has no fear — he rides the highest jumps, he's all in — so he's frustrated he can't do that at the moment. All he wants to do is get on his bike,' said Phillips, who has put her career on hold to care for him full time. 'The right-hand side of his body is weak, he has lost 10 kilograms, he has memory loss and is finding it difficult to remember words and form sentences. 'But I say to him, 'You've gone through a really big thing and I'm really proud of how you've handled it.' 'It's a big deal. He's been so brave through it all.' Phillips thanked the medical staff for their dedicated care, and expressed gratitude to those who had reached out with messages of support — including contributors to a GoFundMe campaign to support the family.
7NEWS
2 hours ago
- Health
- 7NEWS
COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1: Everything you need to know about the new dominant strain and how our vaccines will hold up
A new COVID-19 variant is drawing global attention due to its rapid spread worldwide. The variant — NB.1.8.1 — is set to become the dominant strain in Australia. However, because it has mutated from known variants, the nation's vaccines are still expected to offer decent protection. NB.1.8.1 is already the dominant strain in Western Australia, according to wastewater surveillance reports. 'It's taking off pretty quickly,' Deakin University Professor and Epidemiology Chair Catherine Bennett told 'It is related to variants that we've seen, it looks like two of them have kind of combined, but it has some new mutations as well.' These mutations have two key effects. First, the variant appears different enough from previous strains that our immune systems don't immediately recognize it. This means it can evade the immune defences developed through earlier infections or vaccinations, Bennett explained. Second, the mutations improve the variant's ability to bind to receptors in the mucosal linings of the human body. 'It just means if you're exposed, you're more likely to catch it,' Bennett said. 'People just need to be aware of infection where they can, and avoid spreading it where they can — if they've got symptoms, no matter what it is, it's not the time to socialise.' NB.1.8.1 is a descendant from Omicron JN.1 — the same strain targeted by current vaccines. 'It was wise that they invested in vaccines that were trailing along that JN.1 family,' Bennett told 'While the vaccine is not perfectly matched to this sub-variant, there is enough relationship with the JN.1 strain that is in the vaccine, that allows us to still have an effective vaccine.' Perfect storm for a spike in cases This winter marks Australia's fifth with COVID-19 — though the worst impacts occurred in 2022, 2023, and 2024. In recent months, Australians have relaxed their attitudes toward the virus, buoyed by a seasonal reprieve from high infection rates — a reprieve that has also lowered overall immunity. That complacency is one of several factors creating a perfect storm for a surge in cases: winter, waning immunity, immune evasion by the new variant, and its high transmissibility. 'All those things lining up together suggest that we might be in for a bigger winter wave, possibly even than we saw last year,' Bennett said. 'It could be the first time in a year that we see COVID really starting to impact people,' she said. Bennett noted that right now, 'is the first time that people in ICU with COVID-19 has dropped to the level it has.' These ICU rates are the lowest since 2021 — but they are expected to rise again this winter. 'The more we can do to help reduce spreading the virus around, then the better off we'll be,' Bennett said. At the height of the pandemic in Australia, deaths from COVID-19 were ten times higher than those from the flu. 'That's dropped, but it is still five times higher than the flu. So COVID-19 is still to be taken seriously,' Bennett said. 'Not more severe than the last' The World Health Organisation recently evaluated NB.1.8.1 as a 'low risk' variant overall. That classification reflects comparisons with previous, more severe strains, but also considers current levels of population immunity and treatment availability. 'It can still make some people very sick, but it's not more severe than the last strains we've seen,' Bennett said. 'The other thing the World Health Organisation looks at, is whether the treatments we have still work, that our testing measures still work, that all of that is still okay — and it is,' she said. 'Actually having a booster shot at the start of a wave gives you the best coverage you can have through those next six to eight weeks, which is how long a wave will take.' She urged people over 65 to review their vaccination status, and reminded adults over 18 that they remain eligible for boosters. 'It pays to think about whether you've had an infection, and whether actually a booster might not be a bad thing at this stage.'
