Man jailed over ‘racially motivated attack’ against Queensland’s Biloela family

Jessie Newton, 40, pleaded guilty to assaulting Priya Nadesalingam and Nades Murugappan, and a string of other offences Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A Biloela man has been jailed for a targeted “racially motivated attack” against members of Queensland’s Murugappan (Nadesalingam) family, who made national headlines for their years-long fight against deportation while detained on Christmas Island. Jessie Newton, 40, also pleaded guilty to assaulting Priya Nadesalingam and Nades Murugappan, and a string of other offences, at Rockhampton magistrates court this week. The incident began when Newton drew swastikas on trees in Lions Park at about 10am on 31 January. He then crossed the road to approach the food truck operated by the Tamil family, and immediately became aggressive towards them. The court heard he told Nadesalingam that she “didn’t belong here” and that “she needed to go back to her own country”. Murugappan intervened to protect his wife. Newton then stole a jerry can full of petrol and used it to threaten him, and threatened to insert it into his anus. Finally he picked up several bird feathers attached to a dried carcass and t