"Lord Mayor has Satan in his sights" - article

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman was so concerned about Halloween Satanic rituals in Brisbane cemeteries last year that he ordered an extra $34,000 worth of security patrols.

Brisbane City Council's Civic Cabinet minutes of October 2009, which were previously kept secret, show Newman wanted an operation by police and council staff in Brisbane cemeteries to "look out for Satanic rituals".

Anyone caught would be charged with trespassing.

The move was accepted by Civic Cabinet and checks on Brisbane cemeteries are now conducted regularly.

The move came after $400,000 damage was done to 82 headstones in Brisbane's Toowong Cemetery in August last year.

Yesterday, Cr Newman said private security guards had been hired to regularly patrol council cemeteries every Friday and Saturday night.

“People should not be in Council cemeteries at night unless they have our permission to be there,” he said.

“Anyone found wandering around after dark will be considered to be trespassing and asked to leave immediately.

“If security sees anyone acting suspiciously then they will call the police and continue to keep an eye on them until they arrive.”

Signs have now been erected advising people of the patrols.

Cr Newman said he hoped the patrols would prevent a repeat of the Toowong Cemetery gravestone destruction.

In April, four people appeared in court on grave vandalism charges.

It was alleged one of the four defendants bragged about inverting crucifixes at the cemetery because it "had meaning to Satanists".

But the charges were dropped because police did not ask the owners of the grave plots if they had given permission or not for the graves to be damaged.

Attorney-General Cameron Dick immediately ordered a review of the legislation to prevent a similar situation from being repeated.
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A TOMBSTONE bearing an image of Jesus had pinned a man to the ground during an alleged vandalism attack on a Brisbane cemetery, a court has heard.

Shane Alan Bell, 27, Michael John Smallbon, 27, Benjamin Lionel Garland, 19, and Zoe Louise Wilson, 24, are facing a committal hearing in the Brisbane Magistrates Court, each charged with the wilful damage of up to 82 tombstones at the Toowong Cemetery in August last year.

The four were arrested after Ms Wilson had a conversation with a work colleague, Anna Nisbett, about damaging gravestones during a late night trip to the cemetery.

Ms Nisbett told the court Ms Wilson had said Mr Bell and friends had visited the cemetery one night, bearing inverted crucifixes.

"She (Wilson) indicated it had meaning for satanists," Ms Nisbett said, saying she was "stunned" by the story.
The federal public servant said Ms Wilson had told her of a bizarre incident involving a tombstone.

"(Wilson said) 'Jesus smashed Shane'," Ms Nisbett said.

"(She said) the tombstone moved a significant distance, hit Shane and pinned him on the legs."

Mr Bell screamed and passed out from the pain, and the three others had to move the tombstone off his legs, the court heard.

Ms Nisbett also told the court Ms Wilson believed the group saw a ghost while at the cemetery.

"She became animated and told me they saw an image of an older, hunched-over man and when they approached it, he disappeared," Ms Nisbett said.

"She did comment they were smashed, had consumed beer."
Ms Nisbett said some of her relatives were buried at the cemetery.

She saw a television news story about the vandal attack and decided to take up the matter with her team leader at work and with police.

Police went to the home of Mr Bell and Ms Wilson in Jimboomba, south of Brisbane, and arrested and charged the pair.

Arresting officer Constable Clayton Honeywood told the court he found knuckle-dusters with large blades, drugs and a headstone during a search of the home.

He said Mr Bell also had a leg injury.

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