A GUNNEDAH teenager was allegedly heard on a phone tap arranging to supply a pistol in exchange for drugs, a court has heard.
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Teegan Wortley has been committed to stand trial after a detective allegedly recognised her voice when he was deciphering phone intercepts.
The 18-year-old appeared in Tamworth Local Court disputing a charge of supplying a pistol to someone unauthorised to possess it – a charge which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, if convicted.
Magistrate Roger Prowse refused a request to adjourn the matter to allow Wortley’s solicitor to listen to the phone taps, telling the court, “the matter has all the hallmarks of being overtaken by two dead snails”.
Solicitor Garry Johnston said the “whole thrust of the DPP case” was on “ad-hoc voice identification”.
“There is no telephone identification,” he said.
“There is nothing, just nothing, where my client has attributed those words.”
There is nothing, just nothing, where my client has attributed those words.
- Solicitor Garry Johnston
Mr Johnston said the detective’s identification of his client’s voice on a phone tap was “opinion evidence”, which could be rejected by a jury at trial.
DPP solicitor Stuart Ogilvy said the evidence for the charge “relates to conversations that are intercepted”.
“A detective identifies the voices,” he told the court, pointing to transcript references.
“Those offers ...are made by the accused in exchange for the amphetamines.”
Mr Ogilvy said “taking it at its highest, he says I can identify that voice, and that is the voice of the accused".
Mr Prowse examined the brief and said "it’s more recognition evidence and recognition evidence would need to be assessed".
Taking it at its highest, he says I can identify that voice, and that is the voice of the accused.
- DPP solicitor Stuart Ogilvy
“I am of the opinion there is sufficient evidence,” he said.
He said the brief pointed to a statement that [a co-accused] “is holding out that he is able to the supply the gun, the inference being available … that he has collected from Ms Wortley”.
She was committed to stand trial. She remains on bail while a trial date is fixed.