WA news LIVE: Eileen Bond dies; WA man to be sentenced for killing police officer​on July 3, 2025 at 12:54 am

Staying in the WA Supreme Court, and prosecutor Justin Whalley is addressing the court ahead of the sentencing of Reagan Chown over the death of Constable Anthony Woods.

Chown was high on methamphetamines and driving a stolen Holden Crus when Chown and his colleagues attempted to pull him over in June 2023.

Woods attempted to pull Chown from the car after their chase came to an end in a cul-de-sac and fired his Taser, but fell and was dragged under the car as Chown reversed.

During his manslaughter trial earlier this year, Chown claimed he wasn’t in control of his actions as he had been Tasered, but a jury rejected that argument and found him guilty after deliberating for less than three hours.

On Thursday, Whalley told the court Chown should have stayed where he was after the chase.

“The reckless driving of vehicles by offenders often affected by methamphetamine is prevalent in our society,” he said.

“The court needs to send a clear message if an offender fails or desists in their attempts to evade capture … then they will be subject to punishment.”

Whalley said the case was a “serious example of criminal manslaughter” and urged Justice Joseph McGrath to impose a “substantial term of imprisonment”.

We’re in the WA Supreme Court this morning where Reagan Chown is being sentenced for running over and killing Constable Anthony Woods as the officer tried to pull him from a stolen car in 2023.

The courtroom is packed with Woods’ friends and family, as well WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch and a large contingent of fellow officers.

The slain policeman’s mother Natalie Woods has just read a victim impact statement to court, remembering her son as “so full of energy and ambition”.

“He was larger than life but his love for his family was always number one,” she said.

Natalie also laid bare the toll her son’s death had taken, telling the court she suffered depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, and her sleep had been disrupted by anxiety.

“[Anthony] was doing his duty and protecting his community and his future was taken away,” she said.

We’ll bring you more from the court as the sentencing progresses.

Housing has been the hottest political topic in WA this past week with the state government announcing two major purchases of complexes for social and affordable housing.

The housing news continues today, with the Commonwealth and state governments announcing the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund would be drawn on to build 515 new homes across WA.

An exact cash figure was unable to be provided by the state, but the money would be used by housing providers to build the homes in both metro and regional WA.

“Every one of these new homes represents hope for a family in Western Australia doing it tough,” federal Housing Minister Clare O’Neil said.

“Whether it’s a mum and her kids escaping domestic violence, a veteran struggling to find affordable housing, or a frontline worker priced out of their own community – these homes will give people the foundation they need to rebuild their lives.”

WA Housing Minister John Carey said the latest round of funding would make contribution to ensure West Australians had access to affordable and secure housing.

Eileen Bond, the former wife of the late colourful businessman Alan Bond, has died.

A family member confirmed Eileen suffered a stroke on Sunday and passed away overnight.

Affectionately nicknamed Red, it is not clear where the Fremantle-raised 87-year-old was living when she died.

She married Bond in 1955 and the couple had four children together before divorcing in 1992 and remaining friends.

Bond died in 2015.

This wet weather has contributed to a few crashes this morning that are causing serious peak hour pain.

A six-car pile up has forced Tonkin Highway southbound near Redcliffe to be reduced to one lane.

Towing services are on-site, but traffic in the area is extremely heavy.

Meanwhile, there have been multiple crashes on the Kwinana Freeway.

It looks like another multiple car pile up with drivers out of their vehicles in the southbound lanes near Atwell. And a crash on the Narrows Bridge southbound which blocked the right lane has just been cleared, but has caused heavy traffic back to Hay Street.

A third multi-car pile up on the Kwinana Freeway northbound near Anketell Road continues to slow traffic, with the vehicles in the right emergency lane.

And lastly, a crash on the Kwinana Freeway northbound near South Perth has just been cleared after partially blocking the exit lane.

A storm warning was issued for WA residents this morning, from Perth right down to Dunsborough, with strong wind and heavy rain bringing with it the possibility of flash flooding.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said earlier in the morning there was a severe thunderstorm warning, that has since been cancelled.

But he said the rain had been significant, particularly further south, with around 89 millimetres recorded in Busselton and 70 millimetres in Bunbury overnight – causing the flash flooding.

In Perth, the rain was lighter, with 10 to 20 millimetres falling in the metropolitan area, and 50 millimetres at Garden Island.

“We’re seeing those showers and thunderstorms continuing along the west coast and in the South West, and those showers are moving into parts of the Wheatbelt, but only expecting light falls in those inland areas,” Narramore said.

“We could see another 5 to 15 millimetres with showers and storms … all easing later this afternoon as it moves inland and clearing to just a few light showers tomorrow.”

There have been 58 requests for assistance since 11am Wednesday, mostly in the Lower South West for water ingress.

The SES has provided sandbagging and help with temporary repairs.

There were nine requests for assistance in the Perth metropolitan region, including seven around the south coast – Port Kennedy, Hilton, Parmelia, Waikiki, Hammersley, Rockingham, Spearwood.

The other two requests were in Tuart Hill and Forrestfield.

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