NSW teen's killers get max 45-year term

COREY Loveridge and his teenaged accomplice have received one of the harshest sentences possible for the "cowardly, sadistic, pitiless and deadly attack" on a complete stranger.

The 20-year-old and his co-offender, who can be identified only as AB because he was a juvenile at the time, were both given a maximum 45-year jail sentence, with a minimum 30-year non-parole term, for the random murder of 17-year-old Alan "Ray Ray" Gordon.

Mr Gordon was stabbed in front of his brothers outside a service station in the western Sydney suburb of St Marys and had his Achilles tendon severed to stop him trying to kick them away.

He was stabbed more than 40 times and died from massive blood loss.

Justice Michael Adams described the 2011 murder as an "appalling crime" and a "cowardly, sadistic, pitiless and deadly attack".

He said the men not only intended to kill their victim but also to torture him, causing him "excruciating pain".

Loveridge, whose cousin Kieran Loveridge is awaiting sentencing for the manslaughter of Thomas Kelly in a separate Kings Cross king hit attack, was found guilty of murder by a jury in April.

AB pleaded guilty before the matter came to trial.

Justice Adams said the pair derived "unimaginable satisfaction or pleasure" from the murder.

"This makes them very dangerous individuals," he said.

He said Loveridge had lied constantly and threatened witnesses, and that the pair show no remorse for what they had done.

The two men were sat at opposite ends of the courtroom and had several Corrective Services officers around them after AB attacked Loveridge in a previous court appearance.

When the victim's family began to clap after the sentences were handed down, Justice Adams stopped them, saying it was "a sad matter" and not a time for rejoicing.

The pair's sentences also take into account a string of offences including the robbery and bashing of an elderly woman on the night of the murder.

Alan's father, Ronald Hussey, told reporters outside the court that he couldn't ask for more than what had been handed down.

"He would do anything for anyone," Mr Hussey said.

"My son was doing the same thing he did for years, which was to go down for his mother early in the morning to get her money out.

"Wrong place, wrong time."

Mr Hussey said his son's death had destroyed his family.

"He just started working; he just loved his job. He just never got a chance," Mr Hussey said.

"I no longer live at home. (His death) has pulled the family apart."

The maximum sentence given to Loveridge and AB was nearly twice that handed down to another killer on Friday, in the next Supreme Court room.

Sydney man Gavin Anthony Bell was jailed for a maximum 27 years and 10 months after he shot dead teenager Devril Leuthwaite in front of his family during a violent home invasion three years ago.

Loveridge and AB will serve the same minimum sentence as teen killer Matthew Milat - a great-nephew of serial killer Ivan Milat - who pleaded guilty to murdering schoolmate David Auchterlonie.

Milat was handed a maximum 43-year maximum term.

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WA Senate result to be revealed

Greens senator Scott Ludlam says the AEC should hold off declaring the WA Senate election. Source: AAP

THE Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is set to announce the result of the West Australian Senate vote recount, despite more than 1300 ballots still being missing.

AEC state manager Peter Kramer says the results of the WA Senate recount and distribution of preferences will be known on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Kramer said he had advised the Senate candidates the distribution of preferences to decide six WA Senators would start at 2pm (WST).

"In accordance with electoral procedures, candidates have been invited to appoint scrutineers to observe the process on their behalf," he said.

The AEC said the distribution of preferences would incorporate all formal recounted votes as well as all formal below-the-line votes that were not subject to the recount.

It admitted on Thursday that 1255 formal above-the-line ballots and 120 informal votes could not be located, rechecked or verified, despite searches of every electoral premises where the ballots were stored or transported from.

Electoral Commissioner Ed Killesteyn has asked former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty to investigate how the 1375 votes were misplaced.

Several candidates, including Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, and Palmer United Party leader Clive Palmer decried the process.

Mr Palmer has already flagged his intention to challenge the result in court, with the potential of a by-election if the Senate result was ruled invalid by the Court of Disputed Returns.

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Aussie may face death penalty in Vietnam

AN Australian man could face the death penalty in Vietnam after being charged with drug trafficking.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Thursday confirmed the arrest of the 31-year-old from NSW, who has not been named, on drug trafficking charges in Ho Chi Minh City on October 22.

A 24-year-old woman from NSW was also arrested but has since been released, the spokesperson said.

An Agence France-Prese report on Wednesday cited a Vietnamese drug squad officer as saying the man was allegedly caught with 3.5 kilograms of heroin in hidden luggage compartments at Ho Chi Minh City airport.

The drugs were hidden in 11 packages which had been treated to avoid detection by sniffer dogs, the state-run Thanh Nien newspaper reported.

Officials from the Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City have been granted access to the man and will meet with him this week, the DFAT spokesperson said.

DFAT said Australians should be reminded of the very stiff penalties facing anyone caught carrying drugs overseas.

Vietnam takes a hardline, with anyone who attempts to smuggle more than 600 grams of heroin or cocaine risking the death penalty.

Convictions and sentences are revealed only by local media which is strictly under state control.

Vietnamese authorities have seized more than 24 kilos of drugs at Ho Chi Minh City airport this year, the Thanh Nien daily said.

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Domestic behind fatal Sydney shooting

A manhunt in underway for the killer of a 27-year-old man who was shot in the back in Sydney's west. Source: AAP

A DOMESTIC dispute is being investigated as the cause of the latest deadly shooting in Sydney.

Central Coast man Raymond Pasnin, 27, was shot in the back as he walked to his car at a unit block in Pendle Hill in Sydney's west on Wednesday.

He died in hospital.

Homicide squad commander Detective Superintendent Michael Willing says police have ruled out any link to the fatal shooting in Sydney's southwest on Tuesday night of an associate of the criminal Brothers 4 Life gang.

"There is nothing to suggest any links at this point to any organised crime elements or bikie groups," Det Supt Willing said on Thursday.

"We believe that the shooting of Mr Pasnin relates to relationships that he has of a domestic nature.

"We believe there was an argument and then shots were fired".

Family members of Mr Pasnin and his girlfriend are being questioned.

Mr Pasnin, who was known to police and had been visiting his mother's house, was shot numerous times in front of his girlfriend, Det Supt Willing said.

"No one deserves to die under those circumstances", he said.

Neighbours reported hearing "bang, bang, bang" and seeing a woman screaming hysterically after the incident and asking "is he alive".

One of them, Alice, told Fairfax radio it was a terrifying experience.

"You don't know if they've got knives or weapons and it's very stressful when you see something like that and you can't stop it," she said.

Another neighbour described Mr Pasnin's mother as a "nice" and quiet woman who kept to herself.

Police are searching for a man accused of shooting Mr Pasnin numerous times in the back before fleeing.

Det Supt Willing said the homicide squad would continue to investigate.

"While we are still working to identify a motive for the attack, we do believe it was targeted," he said.

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Emissions target inadequate: authority

An independent climate advisory body has recommended tougher 2020 emissions reduction targets. Source: AAP

AN independent climate advisory body has described Australia's 2020 carbon emissions reduction target of five per cent as "inadequate" and recommends cuts of at least 15 per cent.

In its draft Targets and Progress Review report released on Wednesday, the Climate Change Authority (CCA) recommends a significant increase above the five per cent target currently agreed to by both major parties.

The authority - soon to be abolished by the federal government - has not made a final recommendation on what the 2020 target should be, instead canvassing two options - a 15 per cent reduction and a 25 per cent reduction.

A 15 per cent reduction was the "minimum option", the draft report said.

Authority chair Bernie Fraser described a five per cent reduction on 2000 levels as "inadequate on a number of grounds" and said that delaying tougher action until after 2020 would require "very rapid reductions" beyond then.

"A five per cent target would leave Australia lagging behind others, including the United States," Mr Fraser said.

"At this stage, the authority has not made a final recommendation on what that tougher 2020 emissions reduction target for Australia should be, beyond believing that the 5 per cent target is not a credible option."

The authority modelled the two alternatives to the five per cent target.

The 15 per cent target for 2020 had a 2030 trajectory range of 35 to 50 per cent, while the 25 per cent target had a 2030 trajectory of 40 to 50 per cent.

A 25 per cent cut would give a 75 per cent chance of limiting global warming to two degrees, and a 15 per cent cut a 67 per cent chance, the modelling says.

A five per cent emissions reduction would only provide a 50 per cent chance of hitting that two degree target.

Mr Fraser noted the federal government's plans to abolish the authority and the carbon tax and replace them with the direct action policy that uses revegetation and improving soil carbon to soak up emissions.

"In the authority's view, this report remains highly relevant despite the changing policy landscape," he said.

"It's primary focus is Australia's goals for reducing emissions.

"The setting of these goals raises the same critical questions, whatever the particular policies adopted to meet them."

Greens leader Christine Milne said the authority had thrown down the gauntlet to Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

"This report is yet another nail in the coffin of Mr Abbott's Direct Action sham. How much more evidence does the prime minister need before he will pull his head out of the sand on global warming?" she said.

The Australian Conservation Foundation said a cut of 25 per cent was the least Australia could do to meet its international obligations.

The CCA will provide its final report to government by the end of February next year.

Comment is being sought from Environment Minister Greg Hunt.

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NSW prisoners lodge 660 complaints

NSW prisoners made 660 formal complaints about adult correctional centres and services last year. Source: AAP

NSW prisoners complained about not being able to buy honey, a lack of vegetarian meals and having to put up with a toilet that didn't flush, an ombudsman's report shows.

The NSW Ombudsman's Annual Report for 2012-2013 released on Wednesday shows 660 formal complaints were made about adult correctional centres and services.

The figure is down from 886 the year before.

The biggest problem for inmates related to medical services, subject to 128 formal complaints, followed by complaints relating to the daily routine, which received 102 complaints.

Fifty-two inmates formally complained about the prison buy-up system, including male inmates who complained they couldn't buy honey to use on cereal and in tea, while female inmates could.

Food was the source of 17 formal complaints including from an inmate at Metropolitan Special Programs Centre who had his request for a vegetarian diet during Lent denied.

The report also includes case studies about improper clothing and shoes, including indigenous inmates at Goulburn jail, who said they got winter jackets a month after everyone else.

Other complaints include a toilet that wouldn't flush, a TV that went missing for several months and concerns that disinfectant was being used to wash dishes instead of dish-washing detergent.

The report says inmates often contact the Ombudsman office about everyday issues because they "do not have many of the things the rest of the community takes for granted".

Meanwhile, 65 formal complaints were received about juvenile centres.

Among the most serious was an unconfirmed complaint from Kariong Juvenile Justice Centre, which alleged inmates were incorrectly told to lift their genitals and squat during strip searches.

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Lawsuit expenses hit Deutsche Bank profit

DEUTSCHE Bank says its net profit shrank to a bare 51 million euros ($A74.05 million) in the third quarter after it took 1.2 billion euros in losses for legal judgments in lawsuits against it.

The net profit compared with a figure of 754 million euros in the same quarter a year ago.

The bank also said on Tuesday that its investment banking business has slowed. Net revenues fell 10 per cent to 7.7 billion euros.

It said charges for litigation were mostly related to lawsuits over residential mortgage-backed securities, investments based on mortgage loans to borrowers with shaky credit. The securities helped drive financial turbulence in 2007-2009 as they lost value.

Deutsche Bank said it was making progress in strengthening its finances to meet new regulatory requirements and was cutting costs.

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UBS in Q3 profit reversal

SWISS banking giant UBS is reporting a third-quarter net profit of 577 million Swiss francs ($A674.88 million), reversing its 2.1 billion francs loss in the comparable period a year ago.

But Switzerland's largest bank says it may not be able to reach its profit goals for 2015 because of Swiss regulatory demands that it hold more capital for risks from litigation.

UBS said in a statement on Tuesday it had third-quarter charges of 586 million francs for litigation, regulatory and other related matters, and sees more regulatory challenges ahead.

The Zurich-based bank said "the operating environment in the third quarter remained challenging," but its declining operating income was partly offset by lower operating expenses and staff cuts, reducing the number of employees to 60,635, down from 62,628 a year earlier.

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Massive storm lashes southern Britain

About 60 flights have been cancelled at Heathrow Airport due to predicted hurricane-force winds. Source: AAP

A MAJOR storm is battering southern Britain, with winds of almost 160km/h tearing through property and causing flooding and major travel disruption.

More than 7000 homes in the Bristol and Bath area have reportedly been left without power, flights and rail services across the country have been cancelled or delayed and there is widespread flooding in southern England as rain and hurricane-force winds arrived from the southwest.

Trees have been brought down by high winds, damaging property, and a number of roads left impassable by floodwater.

The rough conditions led to rescuers standing down the search for a 14-year-old boy who was washed out to sea from a beach in Newhaven, East Sussex, on England's south coast on Sunday afternoon.

In northwest France 30,000 homes were without electricity early on Monday, said the ERDF distribution network, after wind gusts reached 133km/h in some areas knocking down power lines but no major damage or injury were reported.

Britain's Met Office said wind reached more than 160km/h on the Isle of Wight at 5am and the Environment Agency has issued 14 flood warnings for the southwest, as well as 146 flood alerts for the rest of England and Wales.

Commuters and travellers were warned to expect major disruptions to services.

About 60 flights were cancelled at London's Heathrow Airport on Monday, while ferry journeys have also been disrupted.

Robin Gisby from line operator Network Rail said: "If we get through this in the morning, restore the service during the afternoon and are able to start up a good service on Tuesday morning, in the circumstances I'll be pretty pleased."

Cross-channel train service Eurostar said it would not be running trains on Monday until 7.00am, meaning delays to early services.

Several ferry operators said they had cancelled some cross-Channel services and Irish Sea crossings.

The so-called St Jude Storm hit the southwest late on Sunday night before tracking north eastwards across England and southern Wales throughout Monday morning.

The Met Office issued an "amber" wind warning for the region, the third highest in a four-level scale, and urged people to delay their Monday morning journeys to work to avoid the worst of the bad weather.

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Royal couple return home after Sydney tour

DANISH royals Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary will fly home on Tuesday after wrapping up a jam-packed Sydney tour.

What began as a trip for the Sydney Opera House's 40th anniversary turned into a visit to a state reeling from a bushfire crisis.

The fire-ravaged Blue Mountains became the impromptu public highlight of the royal couple's busy schedule, which started when they landed in NSW last Tuesday.

Enthusiastic fans greeted Mary and Frederik at each public appearance, including the opening of a Danish jewellery store in Sydney's city centre and a visit to the Australian Twins Registry.

But none were more appreciative than the hundreds of people who gathered in the bushfire-hit town of Winmalee to greet the couple on Sunday.

Swapping their leather boots and cargo pants for elegant attire, the couple attended the Opera House's 40th-anniversary celebrations on Sunday night as the event's official patrons.

Those who did not come face-to-face with the Tasmanian-born princess were still warmed by her visit.

Mary sent 12 bouquets she received from fans on her Sydney tour to cancer patients at the Westmead Hospital Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre.

The couple will attend the Crown Prince Couple Awards at Sydney Opera House on Monday night as the last official function of their trip.

It will be the first time the awards, gifted to the royal couple as a wedding present, have been held outside Denmark.

Mary and Frederik will fly out of Sydney International Airport on Tuesday.

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Mary and Fred in NSW bushfire zone

The Danish Royal couple have been met by cheering firefighters while visiting the NSW bushfire zone. Source: AAP

DENMARK'S Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary have been met by cheering firefighters and residents during a visit to the NSW bushfire zone.

About 200 royal fans and curious locals gathered at Winmalee's Rural Fire Service station on Sunday to catch a glimpse of the home-grown princess.

"Three cheers for Princess Mary," one onlooker yelled as the royals pulled up.

"Hip, hip, hooray!"

The royal couple came to meet Premier Barry O'Farrell and RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, and to shake hands with local firies.

But they made a beeline for the crowds, shaking hands with locals and hearing stories of the bushfire crisis of the last fortnight.

The prince, dressed in leather boots and cargo pants, took a backseat as his wife - who at one point had to wave over a minder to relieve her of an armful of bouquets - did the rounds.

Many in the crowd came from the Blue Mountains, where more than 200 homes have been razed.

Mum Siobhan Loosmore and her daughters Cleo and Thisbe weren't planning on a visit but when she heard the princess would be on their street they popped out to take a look.

"I've never met a princess before," seven-year-old Cleo said.

"And Eddie (the family's puppy) might want to meet her too."

Dad Peter Berechree said his daughter Jessica had dragged him along.

"She was desperate to come," he said.

Six-year-old Jessica told AAP she'd been practising her curtsy at ballet class and when the princess came around, she handed over a bunch of pink roses.

"She wanted to cut them out of the garden but there's not many flowers there at the moment," Mr Berechree said.

"She would've found a few things with petals falling off them and bits and pieces. It would've been colourful. But we thought it was a bit more appropriate to go and get something that was a bit more wrapped."

The family is building a house on Singles Ridge Road, a Winmalee street that was devastated in the fires.

"We were very lucky, we didn't get touched but our neighbours did lose part of their property," Mr Berechree said.

"The community's unbelievable up here.

"It's a different community than what I'm used to down in Sydney, they're a lot more tight-knit up here and a lot friendlier.

"It's amazing - the amount of properties that have been lost but community spirit is still high."

Cleo was tipping "a silk dress" for Princess Mary, while six-year-old Jessica was banking on a black and white number.

But the princess showed up wearing jeans and running shoes with a broderie anglaise top and navy cardigan.

She thanked volunteer firefighters and took a tour of the station before setting out for nearby Buena Vista Road, where some 40 homes burned down.

Three major fires continued to burn in the Blue Mountains on Sunday but warning have been downgraded to an 'advice' level.

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Passengers stuck as Melb train breaks down

ABOUT 100 passengers have spent up to two hours stuck in Melbourne's city loop rail tunnel after a train breakdown.

Passengers had to be walked out of the tunnel by emergency services personnel, after the Frankston line train broke down when the device connecting it to overhead powerlines developed a fault between Melbourne Central and Parliament on Sunday afternoon.

Passengers, including six mobility impaired people, spent up to two hours stuck on the train as MFB crews rescued them.

A second train was also affected by the breakdown, leaving passengers stuck between Parliament and Richmond stations, Metro spokeswoman Larisa Tait said.

Those passengers were taken to Richmond station.

The trains remain stuck in the tunnel but Ms Tait said the morning peak should not be affected.

"We would be very confident that this will be cleared later this evening and it won't affect tomorrow morning's peak," she told AAP.

Trains on the Frankston, Pakenham, Cranbourne and Sandringham lines are running direct to Flinders St and are experiencing 20 minute delays.

Ms Tait said during the evacuation passengers on the Frankston train had to walk about 500m through the tunnel to Melbourne Central station.

"There is some space in there but there's not a lot, so it can be a delicate task," she said.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said no-one was injured as a result of the incident but one person was taken to hospital with a medical condition.

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