4 — Centralian Advocate, Tuesday, January 21, 2014

NEWS

Minnie Maid shootingthrough for quieter lifeCorey Sinclair

Tracey Randall, also known as Minnie Maid, packs up her belongings as she gets ready to leave AliceSprings for a fresh start in Cairns Picture: PHIL WILLIAMS

ALICE SPprings’ favouritehooker with a heart of gold istrading her riding crop for ahammer and saw.

Minnie Maid, or TraceyRandall as she is known to her‘‘personal trainers’’, has packedher belongings into a shippingcontainer so she can relocate toCairns for a quieter life.

Although she admits she willprobably do a bit of moonlight-ing, Tracey hopes to get a job atBunnings doing civilian work.

But she’ll miss her ‘‘personaltrainers’’, which is the name shehas given to her clients.

‘‘They give me a workout,’’ shesaid, with a grin.

‘‘I am their sex therapist and Igive them a smile.

‘‘I’ll be missing my personaltrainers.’’

If you’re one of Tracey’s loyalpersonal trainers you canput your mind at ease as sheplans to return in August forFisher’s Run.

‘‘We’ll be looking to come backin August, depends if we’ve bothgot a job and if we can getholidays,’’ she said.

‘‘If we can get holidays thenwe’ll probably stay here for theduration of our holidays.

‘‘Obviously, I’ll be working overhere again.

‘‘Minnie’s smiles might be hap-pening again in August.’’

When asked why she decidedto leave town, Tracey said econ-omic reasons.

‘‘I can get more money for myunit here than I am getting overthere,’’ she said.

‘‘It’s either this or I’ll just endup losing both of them.’’

She has also faced competitionfrom the onslaught of privateworkers who have arrivedin town.

‘‘All the Asians are taking overand I can’t compete with them,’’Tracey said.

‘‘They’re actually working il-legally as a group like an agency

and they’re supposed to be priv-ate workers.’’

However, Tracey did reveal anew agency called Be Naughtywill be opening in March.

‘‘They applied for their licencewhen I re-applied for mine threeyears ago but because of the sizeof the town, it’s not economical

to have two agencies,’’ she said.

‘‘They held their licence for thepast three years until MinnieMaid closed and I leave.’’

Tracey will miss the relaxinglifestyle of Alice Springs but shewon’t miss the ‘‘black politics’’.‘‘I’m over it,’’ she said.

‘‘The town has died anyway, no

one goes out any more becausethey are afraid.

‘‘They’re afraid they’ll havetheir house ransacked, if theyleave their car it will be trashed.

‘‘You can’t walk the streetscause you have these hoodlumsbashing you up for a dollar or acigarette.’’

Screams blamedfor jail cell fireA NOTORIOUS Territorymurderer allegedly set fireto his prison cell becausea n o t h e r i n m a t e w a s‘‘screaming all night’’.

Andy Albury told the NTSupreme Court he didn’tcare if he was found guiltyor not - he just wanted to getprisoner Malcolm Mortonbefore a jury.

Albury refused to tellJustice Jenny Blokland whyhe wanted to call a witness,before he relented and saidhe was pleading not guilty sohe could get Morton to ex-plain why he was screaming.

‘‘I’ll need to subpoenahim but how do you dothat?’’ he said.

‘‘I don’t even know how to

spell the word. I want himhere in person.’’

During discussion aboutMorton appearing via video-link, Albury denounced thecourt as a ‘‘one-way bunchof rednecks’’ and said: ‘‘Atleast let me have one wit-ness. Of course the Crown’sgonna prove I did it. Imade a police statementadmitting it. I don’t care -I’m already serving multiplelife sentences.’’

Justice Blokland toldAlbury that he could stillcall a witness if he admittedthe offence.

Albury said he wouldplead guilty if Morton ap-peared as a witness.

Three teens nabbed over theftsALICE Springs police havearrested three teenagers inrelation to several unlawfulentries and theft last week.

The youths, aged 14, 15and 16, were arrested about2.20am on Saturday as part

of a special police operationin the CBD.

Police reported a stolenelectronic tablet was passedfrom one of the youths toanother male during thetime of arrest.

Domestic violence taken onSTRIKE Force Halberd detectives havemade more than 280 arrests as part of anoperation against domestic violence inAlice Springs.

Detective Sergeant Jonathon Beer said287 arrests in relation to 774 domesticviolence offences were made during thefirst six months of the operation.

‘‘Police have also issued 26 summonses,

served 180 domestic violence orders andprepared 600 prosecution files,’’ he said,adding that police would try to bring othersto justice.

Police have made a further 14 arrests inthe past week.

If you are a victim of domestic violence oryou suspect domestic violence may beoccurring, please call police on 131 444.

Teen charged for vehicle theftSTRIKE Force Vega detectives havecharged a 13-year-old male following mul-tiple property offences in Alice Springslast week.

Detective Senior Sergeant Leith Philipssaid the youth allegedly unlawfully entereda residence and stole a Mitsubishi Pajero onMonday night.

‘‘The youth is also believed to have

unlawfully entered a residence in The Gapand stole a laptop computer, three pairs ofshoes and cigarettes early Thursday morn-ing,’’ he said.

‘‘Fingerprints from both scenes weredeveloped matching the 13-year-old.’’

The youth was charged with unlawful useof a motor vehicle, aggravated enter dwell-ing with intent and stealing.

Plea forhelp incabbiebashingDETECTIVES are seeking public

assistance in relation to the assault

of a taxi driver in Alice Springs early

on Thursday morning.

Detective Senior Sergeant LeithPhilips said that the 28-year-old manwas driving through the Stott Tceand Gap Rd intersection when hewas approached by a group of malesat 4.45am.

‘‘The males threw rocks at the taxi,damaging one of the doors,’’ Detec-tive Philips said.

‘‘The driver exited the taxi andconfronted the offenders,’’ he said.

‘‘One of the men assaulted thevictim while a male youth stole asmall amount of money from thevictim and from inside the taxi.

‘‘The first offender is describedas Aboriginal appearance, in hisearly 20s, between 170cm and 180cm,thin build and short, black hair. Hewas wearing a gray/white T-shirtwith blue/green sleeves, blue jeansand boots.

‘‘The second offender is describedas Aboriginal appearance, around 15years old, between 140cm and 150cmtall and thin build. He was wearing agrey T-shirt, long maroon shorts andno shoes.’’

Detective Philips said police werealso investigating two incidents in-volving vehicles damaged on thesame night.

‘‘A group of youths were witnessedsmashing the windows of a whitepick-up truck parked on Parsons Stand a vehicle parked on Todd St ataround midnight,’’ he said.

Police urge anyone who may havewitnessed the incidents or anyonewho may have further informationto contact police on 131 444 or CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.