News about Liam O'Brien

Sarah Stovell, (left), was mistakenly convinced she was in a relationship with Amanda Hodgkinson (right). Ms Hodgkinson was bombarded with letters, messages, emails, and even followed Ms Hodgkinson to a book reading in America. Stovell has written that the author's husband would be "got rid of" because her companions were "posh idiots," and that Ms Hodgkinson's pet chickens would be destroyed. Despite the 'one-way' contact, Stovell believes Ms Hodgkinson did call her back - through 'cryptic' and 'coded' messages only she could comprehend on her internet channels, as the Newcastle Crown Court heard. Ms Hodgkinson, the mother of two, who made it clear that the feelings were not reciprocated, was left 'exhausted' and afraid she could be in danger.

A former headmistress of a private school who fraudulently claimed expenses for luxury shopping vouchers worth nearly £3,000 has walked free. When Hillary French was the boss of Newcastle High School for Girls, she had violated her position by making the inaccurate estimates for spending at John Lewis' department store. She also claimed for meals out with former students, as well as the robbery of an expensive coat that was later discovered in her car. The 67-year-old's deceit began in 2016 when she was the head of a £45,000 a year private school in Newcastle's Jesmond district, a post she held between 2006 and 2018.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured below with his partner Jodie Haydon) has steadfastly stated that he favors the state and territory's effort to extend emergency pandemic leave payments beyond September's deadline. The payments have already been extended once more. A woman blowing her nose is shown on the right in a stock photograph.