A COURT has been told further charges could be laid against a man allegedly involved in the supply of drugs in the Gunnedah area.
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Shannon James Bree is being held in custody at the Tamworth Correctional Centre on four charges of taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug.
He appeared via video link in Tamworth Local Court on Wednesday where prosecutors successfully applied to have the case adjourned to compile the evidence.
“It’s a complex brief,” Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) solicitor Mark Ferguson told the court.
“It’s one of those briefs that involves telephone intercept material.”
Mr Ferguson said the intercepts still needed to be transcribed.
“It is a voluminous brief of evidence,” he told the court. “I understand there is a possibility that there may be further charges laid.”
The court was told Bree, 41, had been in custody since his arrest by Strike Force Orison detectives in Gunnedah in early January.
He was arrested on the 5th of January, and here we are three months down the track and they haven't whipped the type writer out.
- Magistrate Roger Prowse
“He was arrested on the 5th of January, and here we are three months down the track and they haven't whipped the type writer out,” Magistrate Roger Prowse said.
Mr Prowse granted an adjournment, but only for one month and put the prosecution on notice, telling Bree his case would see some action on the next occasion.
“As you've heard there will be a flurry of typing between now and the 12th of April,” he said. “One of those actions won't include an adjournment.”
Bree’s co-accused wife, Colleen Catherine Bree, also appeared in court on 14 drug-related charges where her case was similarly stood over.
A solicitor for Bree lodged an application to have her bail varied to allow her to attend "a compulsory work bonding meeting".
But the application was refused by Mr Prowse because of the absence of consent from a surety guarantor in court.
A third co-accused, Jett Kieran Fitzroy-Eveleigh, who remains on bail, had fresh charges laid against him at court.
He is now facing charges including supplying less than a commercial quantity of a drug, conspiracy to supply drugs and taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug.
Strike Force Orison was set up by Oxley detectives in late-2015 to investigate the supply of methamphetamine in the Tamworth, Gunnedah and Narrabri areas.