A Wodonga man facing serious drug charges has secured bail after convincing a court about his bid to enter a rehabilitation program.
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Magistrate Tony Murray heard the application from alleged mid-level methamphetamine supplier Brian John Gill on Monday afternoon.
He had been told in Albury Local Court how Gill had been accepted into Bayside Private Rehabilitation in Melbourne’s Patterson Lakes.
But Director of Public Prosecutions representative Andrew Hanshaw said that unlike other centres, Bayside had not provided a statement that guaranteed Gill would be supervised at all times.
Gill, 36, of Carkeek Stret, wants to enter the facility for a 28-day program, having already withdrawn from drugs while in custody.
Mr Murray adjourned the matter until Tuesday morning to allow Gill’s solicitor to get a letter from Bayside with a commitment to the level of supervision the court required.
Mr Hanshaw had opposed bail for Gill, who has not entered a plea to charges of supplying and possessing methamphetamine.
Mr Hanshaw said a prime consideration of the officer in charge of the investigation was protecting the community from further offending.
“It is a serious offence,” he said.
Mr Hanshaw said that was demonstrated by the 60 grams of methamphetamine allegedly found in Gill’s vehicle.
This was after police pulled over Gill’s SS Commodore on the off-ramp of the Hume Freeway at Borella Road on July 23 at 2.55pm.
Mr Hanshaw said the drug was also of a high purity, at 77 per cent.
That, Mr Murray noted, was about 12 times the weight required to meet a charge of supplying a prohibited drug.
The court heard that Gill’s DNA had allegedly been found on the drug’s packaging.
Mr Murray granted Gill bail with strict conditions, including that he provide a personal surety of $5000.
Gill has to report to the officer-in-charge of Albury police within 24 hours of completing his rehabilitation program.
He must then report to Albury police every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and live at a house in Koonwarra Street, North Albury, under an overnight curfew.
Gill’s solicitor said a $20,000 cash surety would be provided by a relative of Gill through a mortgage on her home.
The case was adjourned to November 9.