All other charges to stand against Sydney siblings accused over Albury incident

Director of Public Prosecutions representative Campbell Hasler has told Albury court registrar Wendy Howard that a stalking or intimidation allegation had been withdrawn.

All other charges involving the man, 51, and his sister, 43, remain.

Their cases have been briefly mentioned in Albury Local Court, from where a further adjournment was made to January 23, 2024, for a case conference mention.

The court heard that a case conference between the prosecution and the siblings' Sydney-based defence would take place on November 29.

Neither was required to attend the mention, provided they were legally represented.

The court heard previously how the matters' progression had been delayed by the legal complexities involved in the kidnapping claims, as well as there being a large amount of material still outstanding for the Crown brief.

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Charges for both accused have now been certified, in readiness for the next stage in the prosecution process.

They were arrested soon after the alleged incident happened as the Howlong student, then 11, took part in a school excursion to Albury Entertainment Centre on May 2.

Each are charged with a strictly indictable count of taking and detaining a child with the intention of being taken away from parental control and a domestic violence-related charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The mother is also charged with stalking or intimidation and contravention of an apprehended violence order.

Both accused, who cannot be named, were ordered under their bail conditions to live in the Sydney suburb of Greenacre, report each Monday to Bankstown police and not go within 50 kilometres of Albury or Howlong, except for court.

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