A magistrate has slammed the Director of Public Prosecutions for an unexpected delay in proceedings against a man charged over an alleged home invasion in North Albury.
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Clinton John Lillis, 37, fronted Albury Local Court this week via a video link to Junee jail.
The matter was supposed to have been ready for charge certification, in turn allowing for a committal to the District Court in Albury.
But magistrate Rodney Brender was told by a DPP representative that charge certification had not actually taken place.
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Lawyer Jessica Dawson explained it was because the person in the DPP's Wagga office responsible for charge certification had been off sick
This reasoning did not impress Mr Brender.
He emphasised to Ms Dawson that his criticism was not directed at her personally, but rather he was questioning why someone else could not have taken over the charge certification process.
"It's not the way this is supposed to work with Mr Lillis in custody," Mr Brender said.
"Someone has to look at it and someone has to certify the charges."
Lillis, in prison greens and wearing a beard, commented only to confirm that it was he who was appearing in court.
He is charged with special aggravated break and enter and commit a serious indictable offence with a weapon, possess a prohibited drug, possess ammunition without a permit or licence and two counts of goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen.
Investigators were called to the units about 1.15am.
Mr Brender adjourned the case to June 25.
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