An 18-year-old man has been charged after allegedly driving his gold BMW into Newcastle Knights supporters, leaving 10 footy fans injured.

NSW Police said late on Saturday that the red P-plater had been discharged from hospital and taken to a police station, where he was charged with nine offences.

The charges include three counts of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, three counts of negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and three counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct in charge of a motor vehicle.

The teenager will remain in custody overnight before appearing in court on Sunday. His driver’s licence has also been suspended.

Knights supporters had gathered to wave goodbye to the team as its bus headed towards the NRL Grand Final in Newcastle, north of Sydney, when the vehicle allegedly struck people on Saturday morning.

Emergency crews were called to the Newcastle Link Road roundabout on Transfield Avenue at about 9.30am after reports that a car had hit people on the pavement following allegations it had been driven ‘erratically’.

The driver was arrested at the scene before being taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

A five-year-old girl is among the 10 injured people and remains in a critical but stable condition in an induced coma.

Ashleigh Gibbs, understood to be a relative of the young girl, has started a GoFundMe campaign to support the child and her mother, who was also hurt in the crash.

‘A beautiful five-year-old child is currently in an induced coma after suffering serious injuries and has already required multiple operations,’ she wrote.

‘Their mum was also seriously injured and will require multiple operations and a long period of recovery.

‘Both mum and child now face a long road ahead, including further surgeries, hospital stays, rehabilitation and recovery.

‘Sadly, the severity of their injuries means mum will be unable to work for some time, creating enormous financial pressure as the family concentrates on healing and supporting one another.’

Ms Gibbs said the money raised would help cover medical expenses, household costs, travel and other unforeseen bills.

‘Our biggest hope is that this family can focus on what matters most – getting through each day, supporting their little one and recovering together – without the added worry of managing financially,’ she wrote.

A 67-year-old man was also initially in a critical condition, but police later confirmed that his injuries had been downgraded to serious but stable.

Four others, a girl, two, another girl, five, a woman, 31, and a man, 48, remain in hospital in stable conditions.

Three men aged between 24 and 27, along with a 63-year-old woman have been discharged from hospital.

Two teenage passengers in the driver’s car were not injured. 

One of the injured, Knights fan Chris Clancy, shared a photo of himself in hospital to Instagram on Saturday night, revealing he’d suffered a broken collarbone. 

‘Just letting you know myself, Tom and Matt were injured in the accident with the Newcastle supporters this morning,’ he wrote.

‘Tom has a graze on his left elbow but has been discharged all ready to go to the grand final tomorrow. Matt is still under observation but will more than likely be discharged soon with a graze and bit of bruising on his back.

‘I have a broken left collarbone which requires surgery and may have a possible sprained or broken right foot. UP THE KNIGHTS.’

Various Newcastle stars such as captain Kalyn Ponga wished him well in the comments. 

Newcastle Lord Mayor Gavin Morris confirmed the P-plater was a Knights supporter who had attended the celebration along with tens of thousands of people. 

‘He was excited. He was a supporter,’ he told ABC News.

‘He was there for the joy of the moment as well. And somehow, yes, he has (allegedly) lost control of the car.’

The incident impacted the planned route of the Newcastle Knights Grand Final procession, which was diverted via an alternate route.

A video circulating on social media captured the moment the driver was arrested, with onlookers heard shouting insults at the teenager. 

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Waddell said two passengers in the gold BMW had to be removed from the scene due to the brewing anger from the crowd.

‘There were two other persons in the car. We had [to get] them out of there because the crowd did turn on them,’ he said. 

‘We have taken that male [driver] for mandatory drug and alcohol testing.’ 

Assistant Commissioner Waddell said there was a ‘fair bit of angst’ from bystanders but added some Good Samaritans helped provide first aid and even CPR to those who were injured.

When asked whether witnesses reached the driver before police, Assistant Commissioner Waddell said the crowd ‘came forward’ and detectives would investigate ‘any other offences that may have been committed’.

The Newcastle Knights addressed the incident in a statement on social media, saying: ‘We apologise to anybody who was waiting and missed the bus, but public safety is our priority.’

A representative for the club then addressed reporters early on Saturday afternoon.

‘The thoughts of everyone at our club are with those that are impacted by this event, [with] their families, and also those [who] are on scene,’ he said.

‘Respectfully, now, this is a matter for NSW Police so, at this stage, the club can make no further comment.’

Knights star Kalyn Ponga shared a heartfelt post on social media addressed to the Newcastle community.

‘We’re thinking of you, your families and everyone in our Newcastle community. Sending our love and support,’ he said.

The sentiment was echoed by his teammate, Dane Gagai, who said: ‘Our hearts go out to the families impacted by this situation. Thoughts and prayers are with you.’

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley had a tough message about public safety on the roads after the crash, which she called a ‘preventable tragedy’ after a ‘split second decision’.

‘We knew that people would be out celebrating the wonderful achievements of the Newcastle Knights and we set out warnings about driver behaviour and how important driver behaviour is,’ she said.

‘It is an absolute tragedy, a tragedy that needn’t have happened, a tragedy that was preventable.’

Following the news, messages of support were shared from politicians in both NSW and federal government.

Premier Chris Minns urged fans travelling to Sydney for the game to take care on the roads. 

‘It’s heartbreaking to see fans who were sending off their grand final team involved in such a terrible incident,’ he said.

‘My thoughts are with the families and friends of loved ones who have been involved or injured in the crash. I also want to thank emergency services, including police and ambulance, who are responding to this tragedy.

‘We’ve seen how this grand final has brought Newcastle together, and I hope the whole community remains united as we continue to respond.’

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spoken out, saying he had discussed the incident with Minns and expressed his concern for ‘everyone injured or involved in the horrible incident’.

‘Rugby league brings people together, and this should have been a weekend of excitement and pride for Newcastle fans,’ he added.

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor also addressed the ‘devastating’ news.

‘On what should have been a happy community occasion for Newcastle, our thoughts are with the injured, and those assisting at the scene,’ he said.

Police said investigations are continuing. 

The daughter of an elderly British couple allegedly murdered and dismembered in a suspected South African black magic ritual has warned that their killers could strike again.

Pensioners Anthony “Tony” Dinnis, 73, and Gillian Dinnis, 78, vanished three years ago after three gunmen allegedly attacked them at their remote farm in Middlerus, near Mooi River in KwaZulu-Natal.

A suspected accomplice later allegedly told police that the couple had been killed in a muti murder, in which body parts are taken for black magic rituals believed to give people special powers.

The devastated family believes the couple’s fingers and ears were cut off while they were still alive and sold to a sangoma, or traditional healer, for 50,000 rand (£2,170). Tony and Gillian were then allegedly murdered and their bodies dumped.

Kate Anderson, the couple’s daughter, has now spoken publicly about the case and issued a warning to tourists travelling to South Africa about gangs linked to black magic.

The 55-year-old spoke to The Times three years after her parents disappeared and one year after British tourist Lorna McSorley vanished in the same area.

Speaking from her home in Cape Town, Kate suggested that authorities may be reluctant to confront the issue because many South Africans fear black magic.

“But as these cases show, they are not so rare and something has to be done, or more and more people — including tourists — will be targeted,” she said.

Kate said her father’s diary ended on Sunday, August 27, 2023. The couple were reported missing the next day.

Although there was no obvious sign of a struggle, Gillian’s walking stick was found at the property. That led Kate to believe her mother had been carried away.

After a week of searches around the farm, the family received a ransom demand sent from Gillian’s phone. The message initially sought 2 million rand (£91,000) for the couple’s return.

The demand was later reduced to 50,000 rand (£2,300). However, when Kate asked for a photograph proving that her parents were alive, the sender did not respond.

Her father’s diary indicated that the gardener was the last person known to have seen the couple.

Kate said there was no mobile phone signal in the valley where her parents lived, and that the only nearby place offering free Wi-Fi was a church.

On September 16, police found the gardener at the church. He had Gillian’s SIM card in his phone and was arrested alongside another suspect.

Kate said she saw the gardener’s alleged confession, which described how three men abducted and killed the couple before cutting off their ears and fingers. The body parts were allegedly taken to Johannesburg to be sold as muti.

 A detective’s affidavit at a March 2024 bail hearing said the gardener had admitted being one of three men involved in the kidnapping.

But the suspect later claimed that cops had beaten him into confessing, and a magistrate ruled the confession could not stand. 

In June 2024, charges against the two men were withdrawn, with police citing insufficient evidence, allowing them to walk free, while the third suspect was never traced.  

 ‘They’ve got away with it,’ Kate said. ‘If they’re short of money, they’re going to do it again.’

Her warning comes after the family of Ms McSorley, who vanished while hiking in South Africa last year, said her death must be investigated as murder. 

The 71-year-old  from Teignmouth, Devon, disappeared in September 2025 after she went on a walk with her partner of 30 years, 82-year-old Leon Probert.

The couple left their hotel to go for a short walk from the Ghost Mountain Inn in the KwaZulu-Natal province to search for local wildlife.

But on the walk, Leon found the heat and distance too stifling, returning to get his hat and leaving Lorna to continue on her own.

It would be the last time he would see her.

To this day, Leon’s partner has not been heard from despite an extensive search operation of the surrounding area after she failed to return three hours later.

Locals in the South African region believe she may have been kidnapped and killed for her body parts used in ‘muti’ rituals.

Last week, Ms McSorley’s brother, Geoff Sheward, wants her case to be treated as a murder investigation and not a missing persons inquiry.

A year on from her disappearance, the 73-year-old said the family can’t yet grieve her death.

‘As bad as it would be to hear any horrible details, knowing nothing is definitely worse,’ he told The Times.

‘We are just in limbo, unable to settle her affairs or know how to grieve.’

The KwaZulu-Natal region’s northern area, where Lorna went missing, is known for being a hotspot for strong ‘muti’ beliefs, which is a type of traditional medicine or magic.

Though most ‘muti’ rituals require parts from plants or animals, there are those who believe the most powerful charms and medicines require human body parts.

These spells are often used by those with the wealth and contacts to procure human body parts, be they business leaders closing a deal, a gangster wishing to protect themselves or a politician seeking high office.

Several locals said that a ‘muti’ killing was the likely cause of Lorna’s death, The Times previously reported.

The cast and crew of Farmer Wants a Wife are reportedly on edge as speculation grows that the Channel Seven dating show could be caught up in the sweeping cost-cutting across Australian television.

Several industry insiders told Inside Mail this week that the long-running reality series may not return, even though casting for a new season is understood to have begun. Channel Seven has strongly rejected claims that the program is being cancelled.

One production source claimed the series had been removed from Seven’s programming plans, while others suggested the reported change was driven primarily by financial pressures.

Adding to the uncertainty, a number of potential contestants who had progressed through the casting process are said to have had their contracts terminated, according to sources familiar with the situation.

‘Farmer cancelled,’ a senior reality television executive reportedly told Inside Mail in a text message. ‘Loads [of participants] have had contracts ripped up post-casting.’

When asked about the reason for the alleged decision, the industry source gave a blunt response: ‘Money!’

The source claimed the show’s large-scale production model is becoming harder to sustain as broadcasters demand familiar reality formats be delivered on substantially tighter budgets.

The series carries higher expenses than many studio-based programs because filming takes place on farms and in regional areas around Australia, requiring crews to travel extensively and cover transport, accommodation and other logistical costs.

‘Travel – lots of travel and accommodation,’ one source said when describing the show’s costs, while also claiming that Farmer Wants a Wife had become ‘hard to sponsor’ in recent years.

The source described the reported development, which Channel Seven disputes, as ‘terrible news for the industry’.

On Friday, Inside Mail contacted Seven’s public relations team, which appeared to be aware of the cancellation speculation circulating among television insiders.

After dismissing suggestions that the series had been axed, the network issued a statement from Seven managing director of TV and streaming Angus Ross, placing its position on the record.

‘The show has not been cancelled. Seven will produce the next series of Farmer Wants a Wife in 2027,’ Ross said.

If the reported cancellation claims ultimately prove accurate, they would mark a major shift for a franchise that appeared to remain part of Seven’s future plans only months ago.

Casting for a further season had already been launched, with farmers invited to apply for the opportunity to search for love in front of a national television audience.

Reports from Queensland this week also indicated that Eureka Productions was continuing to look for farmers for a potential upcoming season, with eligible singles in several Far North Queensland regions encouraged to submit applications.

According to Inside Mail, the uncertainty surrounding Farmer Wants a Wife appears to be driven less by audience ratings than by the rising cost of producing the show.

Industry insiders say the increasingly tricky economics of producing the large-scale regional series may ultimately work against it.

Networks across Australia are now demanding significant savings from production companies as the traditional free-to-air TV business grapples with rising costs and pressure on advertising revenue.

That has left expensive reality formats particularly exposed.

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A program can still deliver a strong free-to-air audience but become difficult to justify if its production costs cannot be matched by advertising and sponsorship revenue.

And FWAW is far from a cheap production.

Filming across multiple farms and regional locations requires extensive travel, accommodation, transport and a sizeable crew, with producers, camera operators, sound recordists and other staff moving around the country throughout production.

Inside Mail understands there have also been concerns behind the scenes about the franchise’s evolving creative direction.

The dating show has long distinguished itself as a wholesome alternative to the likes of MAFS, built around the promise of genuine romance, rural life and happy endings.

But recent seasons have leaned further into relationship conflict and drama.

Sources say the tonal shift has made the program feel reminiscent of Nine’s MAFS, potentially complicating Farmer’s traditionally family-friendly, brand-safe proposition for advertisers.

Just days into the 2026 season, fans took aim at the polished crop of contestants, heightened drama and promotional trailers packed with tears and confrontations.

Some accused producers of casting women more interested in TV exposure than embracing life on a farm. 

Of course, the additional drama did little to hurt the show’s audience.

Seven’s claim that the 2026 season was the biggest in five years suggested viewers were still tuning in, even with the racier tone. 

Another problem facing the show is its falling success rate for couples.

All five farmers left the latest season having chosen a partner, but the relationships have since unravelled.

Recent months have seen splits involving Zac Kuiper and Maya Bini, Jason and Poppy, Alex and Eddy, and Dylan and Ally.

It presents an awkward problem for a franchise whose entire identity has been built around its ability to produce genuine, lasting love stories.

It also comes after several major changes to the program in recent years.

Samantha Armytage departed Seven in 2024 after 21 years with the network, bringing an end to her stint fronting Farmer Wants a Wife.

Natalie Gruzlewski, who had been synonymous with the franchise since its early years, subsequently returned to hosting duties.