July 2, 2025 • 9 mins
The jury in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial in New York has reached a verdict overnight. The music mogul was found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering but convicted of two lesser charges involving prostitution.
Calls for stronger action to stop the abuse of children in care are growing louder as Victoria's horror story sparks a national response.
Lifeguards have again closed Cabarita Beach on New South Wales' Far North Coast with more sharks spotted close to shore days after an attack on a teenage boy.
7NEWS Headlines with Edwina Bartholomew for July 03, 2025.
For more news, head to www.7news.com.au
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
You want to get straight to breaking news. And gunman
is on the run after opening fire on a suburban
home in.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Sydney's Inner West.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
The home on Davidson Avenue, Concord was shot at multiple
times around one am. There was nobody home at the time.
Minutes later, a car was found burning out of control
at Stuart Street.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
In nearby Burwood.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Police believe the incidents are linked and the arsonist and
gunman remain on the run. The big breaking news overseas
now and the jury in the Shawn Didty Combs trial
in New York has reached a verdict overnight. The music
mogul was found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering,
but convicted of two lesser charges involving prostitution. Live to
(00:42):
US correspondent Marley Hogan, Maley, how did he react to
the jury's verdict.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah, Eddie, good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
We're hearing from our affiliates who were inside that courtroom
that Sewan Didty Combs put his hands together in a
prayer motion, looked at the jury and said thank you,
thank you, before falling to his knees. His family were
in the court. There was applause, cheering, as well. As
his mother left the court, she blew kisses to supporters
that have been waiting outside. Now, as you mentioned, the
(01:09):
verdict is in and it is split. On that most
serious charge, one count of racketeering and conspiracy, he was
found not guilty.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
That was the charge that would have carried.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Life in prison. He was found not guilty of sex
trafficking and also of those two counts. But he was
found guilty on those two counts of transportation to engage
in prostitution. Now, those charges do still carry ten years
a maximum of ten years behind bars, so he could
still be facing up to twenty years in prison.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
Now, even with that guilty.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Verdict, this is a legal victory for Shaun Didty Combs.
He has been acquitted of the most serious charges against him.
His defense had argued that yes, there was domestic violence,
Yes there was drug use, alcohol use, but that he
should not be judged for his sexual preferences, that it
was all consensual. Now, the star witness in this case
was Ventura, his former girlfriend. Her lawyer spoke briefly outside
(02:04):
the courtroom.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
The reaction is that we're pleased that he's finally been
held responsible for two federal crimes, something that he's never
faced in his life.
Speaker 6 (02:16):
We're hopeful that ultimately he receives a.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
Substantial sentence for what he's done.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
And you know, we're pleased.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
That Cassie's bright to light everything that has happened in
this trial.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
So, as mentioned, he's still facing up to twenty years
in prison. A judge will hand down that sentence. A
date has not been set yet. Shaun Dinny Colmbs remains
in custody at the moment, but look, he could walk
out in a matter of hours. There is a bail
hearing set for later today and we'll bring you those
updates when we have the medy.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Okay, we'll speak to you soon. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Miley calls for stronger action to stop the abuse of
children in care growing louder as Victoria's horror story sparks
a national response. A second person has now been charged
over the childcare abuse scandal, with fears past lessons are
being ignored.
Speaker 6 (03:05):
Eight years after the Royal Commission into Child Abuse, Commissioner
Robert Fitzgerald sums up our collective governments in action in
one searing word, shameful. Still no national standards on child
safety or working with children checks.
Speaker 7 (03:20):
These are a wake up call that the nine governments
of Australia the Commwealth from the state governments have to
get their act together and fast.
Speaker 6 (03:27):
There's new allegations of appalling abuse shatter parents' faith. Twenty
six year old Melbourne childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown charged
with seventy child sex offenses, including against babies. Twelve hundred
children facing tests for sexually transmitted diseases outside one of
the centers today. My first reaction as a parent was.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Discussed to be honest. I guess everyone's kind of asking
the same question, how does that happen?
Speaker 6 (03:54):
As police arrests a second man known to Brown, Michael
Simon Wilson, facing forty five child sex and best reality charges.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
I think we need to make child safety and well
being a national priority.
Speaker 6 (04:08):
Governments are rushing to do that tonight, promising tougher regulation
and oversight, fearing and angry backlash.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Which you can never be fast enough here and the
honest answer is the work he will never be done.
Speaker 6 (04:20):
Government's now promising a national childcare worker register, mobile phones banned, incenters,
CCTV monitoring and for those who fail they're working with
children check the right of appeal removed.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Because when it comes to the safety of children, it's
a one strike policy the industry. Really, it's devastating, absolutely,
and it's so anti the ethics and the professionalism of
early childhood educators.
Speaker 6 (04:46):
Leaving them like parents horrified. Mark Riley seven News one.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Thousands of New South Wales residents are still without power
this morning as the cleanup begins from that monster storm.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
The bomb cyclone hit hard and fast.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Sparking evacuation orders for residents at risk of losing their
homes to erosion. Sees crews were out again enforced last night,
with dozens of emergency warnings still in.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Place across New South Wales.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
The Gold Coast is also picking up the pieces after
wild winds lash the region. The conditions a side effect
of the bomb cyclone that hit New South Wales. Gusts
of up to seventy four kilometers per hour were recorded
as weather system wreaked havoc on homes. More than one
thousand people were left without power across the coast after
trees brought down power lines. Conditions are expected to ease
(05:36):
from today. Two teenage boys have been arrested accused of
being guns for hire enlisted in Sydney's organized crime gangs.
One is allegedly responsible for two Underworld shootings, including a
case of mistaken identity. The alled shooters accomplice is also
charged with stabbing the father of an Underworld crime figure
(05:57):
last week.
Speaker 7 (05:58):
At least fifteen year old simply book this action, this
job to target these people for financial game. This is
not a game.
Speaker 6 (06:07):
This is real.
Speaker 7 (06:08):
They're using real weapons. They're putting the lives of real
people at risk.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Both boys were out on bail when the alleged defenses occurred.
The jury in Aaron Patterson's mushroom murder trial has failed
to reach a verdict after two and a half days
of deliberation. There's been no word from the group of
twelve jurors, who have the opportunity to ask the judge
legal questions in.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
The process of their deliberations.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
The group of seven men and five women spent their
third night in a hotel room, with the group set
to reconvene this morning. Aaron Patterson has pleaded not guilty
to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
A third person has now been charged over the murder
of Queensland teenager Phoebe Bishop.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Detectives say their thirty.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Year old use the teenager's mobile phone to try to
interfere with their investigation. Her housemates, thirty four year old
ja James Wood and thirty three year old Tanika Bromley,
are both accused of her murder.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Sdy.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
New details have been released revealing the stite of Brisbane's
new Olympic stadium. Details obtained by the Career Mail also
reveal an Olympic train station set to be built next door.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
The proposed location of a.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Three point seven billion dollar precinct is at the end
of Gilchrist Avenue at Victoria Park, with the warm up
athletics track set to be built at the eastern end.
Six million Quantus customers have been caught up in a
major security breach after hackers infiltrated the airline's database. SCAMM
has used a voice fishing tactic to access the personal
(07:40):
information of passengers by targeting a Manilla call center. Using
a third party provider does not take away the responsibility
of the principal company.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Affected customers are being contacted to.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Boking News in Melbourne Now, where a mechanics business has
gone up in flames in the city's West. Firefighters at
the Sunshine Business just before eleven thirty last night to.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Find the building burning out of control.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
The front wall of the business has collapsed, bringing down
power lines.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Their cruise confirmed nobody was inside at the time of
the fire, which they put out in about half an hour.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
The cause of the blaze is now being investigated.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
There's fresh pressure on the South Australian government to lift
the veil on police misconduct investigations. It comes as the
state's police commissioner faces investigation for accidentally firing his gun
over thirty years ago. The laws brought in nearly a
decade ago blanket these investigations in secrecy and ban any
details from being published. Critics have said it limits transparency
(08:42):
and the public's trust in police.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Well.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Lifeguards have again closed Cabareta Beach on the New South
Wales fin North coast, with more sharks spotted close to
the shore. Days after an attack on a teenage boy.
Drones captured a two meter bull shark in the water.
The beach is being closely monitored, regularly opening and closing
to keep simmer safe. By Sanders rescued a sixteen year
(09:07):
old boy after he was mauled there on Sunday speaking
Thursday's weather now becoming windy and sunny in Brisbane and
twenty a shower too in Sydney, in eighteen a shower
too in Canberra and thirteen showers easing in Melbourne and
fourteen degrees possible early showers in Hobarden, thirteen Mossey sunny
in Adelaide and seventeen showers in a possible storm in
(09:28):
Perth and twenty one and mossey sunny in Darwin twenty
nine degrees
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
You want to get straight to breaking news. And gunman
is on the run after opening fire on a suburban
home in.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Sydney's Inner West.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
The home on Davidson Avenue, Concord was shot at multiple
times around one am. There was nobody home at the time.
Minutes later, a car was found burning out of control
at Stuart Street.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
In nearby Burwood.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Police believe the incidents are linked and the arsonist and
gunman remain on the run. The big breaking news overseas
now and the jury in the Shawn Didty Combs trial
in New York has reached a verdict overnight. The music
mogul was found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering,
but convicted of two lesser charges involving prostitution. Live to
(00:42):
US correspondent Marley Hogan, Maley, how did he react to
the jury's verdict.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah, Eddie, good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
We're hearing from our affiliates who were inside that courtroom
that Sewan Didty Combs put his hands together in a
prayer motion, looked at the jury and said thank you,
thank you, before falling to his knees. His family were
in the court. There was applause, cheering, as well. As
his mother left the court, she blew kisses to supporters
that have been waiting outside. Now, as you mentioned, the
(01:09):
verdict is in and it is split. On that most
serious charge, one count of racketeering and conspiracy, he was
found not guilty.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
That was the charge that would have carried.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Life in prison. He was found not guilty of sex
trafficking and also of those two counts. But he was
found guilty on those two counts of transportation to engage
in prostitution. Now, those charges do still carry ten years
a maximum of ten years behind bars, so he could
still be facing up to twenty years in prison.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
Now, even with that guilty.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Verdict, this is a legal victory for Shaun Didty Combs.
He has been acquitted of the most serious charges against him.
His defense had argued that yes, there was domestic violence,
Yes there was drug use, alcohol use, but that he
should not be judged for his sexual preferences, that it
was all consensual. Now, the star witness in this case
was Ventura, his former girlfriend. Her lawyer spoke briefly outside
(02:04):
the courtroom.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
The reaction is that we're pleased that he's finally been
held responsible for two federal crimes, something that he's never
faced in his life.
Speaker 6 (02:16):
We're hopeful that ultimately he receives a.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
Substantial sentence for what he's done.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
And you know, we're pleased.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
That Cassie's bright to light everything that has happened in
this trial.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
So, as mentioned, he's still facing up to twenty years
in prison. A judge will hand down that sentence. A
date has not been set yet. Shaun Dinny Colmbs remains
in custody at the moment, but look, he could walk
out in a matter of hours. There is a bail
hearing set for later today and we'll bring you those
updates when we have the medy.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Okay, we'll speak to you soon. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Miley calls for stronger action to stop the abuse of
children in care growing louder as Victoria's horror story sparks
a national response. A second person has now been charged
over the childcare abuse scandal, with fears past lessons are
being ignored.
Speaker 6 (03:05):
Eight years after the Royal Commission into Child Abuse, Commissioner
Robert Fitzgerald sums up our collective governments in action in
one searing word, shameful. Still no national standards on child
safety or working with children checks.
Speaker 7 (03:20):
These are a wake up call that the nine governments
of Australia the Commwealth from the state governments have to
get their act together and fast.
Speaker 6 (03:27):
There's new allegations of appalling abuse shatter parents' faith. Twenty
six year old Melbourne childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown charged
with seventy child sex offenses, including against babies. Twelve hundred
children facing tests for sexually transmitted diseases outside one of
the centers today. My first reaction as a parent was.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Discussed to be honest. I guess everyone's kind of asking
the same question, how does that happen?
Speaker 6 (03:54):
As police arrests a second man known to Brown, Michael
Simon Wilson, facing forty five child sex and best reality charges.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
I think we need to make child safety and well
being a national priority.
Speaker 6 (04:08):
Governments are rushing to do that tonight, promising tougher regulation
and oversight, fearing and angry backlash.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Which you can never be fast enough here and the
honest answer is the work he will never be done.
Speaker 6 (04:20):
Government's now promising a national childcare worker register, mobile phones banned, incenters,
CCTV monitoring and for those who fail they're working with
children check the right of appeal removed.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Because when it comes to the safety of children, it's
a one strike policy the industry. Really, it's devastating, absolutely,
and it's so anti the ethics and the professionalism of
early childhood educators.
Speaker 6 (04:46):
Leaving them like parents horrified. Mark Riley seven News one.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Thousands of New South Wales residents are still without power
this morning as the cleanup begins from that monster storm.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
The bomb cyclone hit hard and fast.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Sparking evacuation orders for residents at risk of losing their
homes to erosion. Sees crews were out again enforced last night,
with dozens of emergency warnings still in.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Place across New South Wales.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
The Gold Coast is also picking up the pieces after
wild winds lash the region. The conditions a side effect
of the bomb cyclone that hit New South Wales. Gusts
of up to seventy four kilometers per hour were recorded
as weather system wreaked havoc on homes. More than one
thousand people were left without power across the coast after
trees brought down power lines. Conditions are expected to ease
(05:36):
from today. Two teenage boys have been arrested accused of
being guns for hire enlisted in Sydney's organized crime gangs.
One is allegedly responsible for two Underworld shootings, including a
case of mistaken identity. The alled shooters accomplice is also
charged with stabbing the father of an Underworld crime figure
(05:57):
last week.
Speaker 7 (05:58):
At least fifteen year old simply book this action, this
job to target these people for financial game. This is
not a game.
Speaker 6 (06:07):
This is real.
Speaker 7 (06:08):
They're using real weapons. They're putting the lives of real
people at risk.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Both boys were out on bail when the alleged defenses occurred.
The jury in Aaron Patterson's mushroom murder trial has failed
to reach a verdict after two and a half days
of deliberation. There's been no word from the group of
twelve jurors, who have the opportunity to ask the judge
legal questions in.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
The process of their deliberations.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
The group of seven men and five women spent their
third night in a hotel room, with the group set
to reconvene this morning. Aaron Patterson has pleaded not guilty
to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
A third person has now been charged over the murder
of Queensland teenager Phoebe Bishop.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Detectives say their thirty.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Year old use the teenager's mobile phone to try to
interfere with their investigation. Her housemates, thirty four year old
ja James Wood and thirty three year old Tanika Bromley,
are both accused of her murder.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Sdy.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
New details have been released revealing the stite of Brisbane's
new Olympic stadium. Details obtained by the Career Mail also
reveal an Olympic train station set to be built next door.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
The proposed location of a.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Three point seven billion dollar precinct is at the end
of Gilchrist Avenue at Victoria Park, with the warm up
athletics track set to be built at the eastern end.
Six million Quantus customers have been caught up in a
major security breach after hackers infiltrated the airline's database. SCAMM
has used a voice fishing tactic to access the personal
(07:40):
information of passengers by targeting a Manilla call center. Using
a third party provider does not take away the responsibility
of the principal company.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Affected customers are being contacted to.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Boking News in Melbourne Now, where a mechanics business has
gone up in flames in the city's West. Firefighters at
the Sunshine Business just before eleven thirty last night to.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Find the building burning out of control.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
The front wall of the business has collapsed, bringing down
power lines.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Their cruise confirmed nobody was inside at the time of
the fire, which they put out in about half an hour.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
The cause of the blaze is now being investigated.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
There's fresh pressure on the South Australian government to lift
the veil on police misconduct investigations. It comes as the
state's police commissioner faces investigation for accidentally firing his gun
over thirty years ago. The laws brought in nearly a
decade ago blanket these investigations in secrecy and ban any
details from being published. Critics have said it limits transparency
(08:42):
and the public's trust in police.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Well.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Lifeguards have again closed Cabareta Beach on the New South
Wales fin North coast, with more sharks spotted close to
the shore. Days after an attack on a teenage boy.
Drones captured a two meter bull shark in the water.
The beach is being closely monitored, regularly opening and closing
to keep simmer safe. By Sanders rescued a sixteen year
(09:07):
old boy after he was mauled there on Sunday speaking
Thursday's weather now becoming windy and sunny in Brisbane and
twenty a shower too in Sydney, in eighteen a shower
too in Canberra and thirteen showers easing in Melbourne and
fourteen degrees possible early showers in Hobarden, thirteen Mossey sunny
in Adelaide and seventeen showers in a possible storm in
(09:28):
Perth and twenty one and mossey sunny in Darwin twenty
nine degrees
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