7 days ago
Accused heroin-smuggling grandad refused bail again
A grandfather accused of smuggling heroin worth more than $2 million in a camp stretcher has failed to win bail after accusing federal police of withholding vital information in his case.
Barry James Calverley, a mining safety officer from Perth, was arrested at Sydney Airport after he arrived on a flight from Vietnam in January 2024.
Australian Border Force officers allegedly found 5kg of heroin, worth $2.25 million, concealed in his camp stretcher.
Calverley, who is in his early 70s and appeared via a video link from custody wearing his green prison uniform, was denied bail in the NSW District Court on Thursday.
It was the second refusal after the NSW Supreme Court in mid-2024 decided to keep him in custody.
A trial is set for March 2026 where Calverley will face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if found guilty.
"This is hardly a rare trial. You see these kind of trials throughout our system - for better or for worse," Judge John Pickering said on Thursday.
Calverley's lawyer Justine Hopper strongly argued the Australian Federal Police had withheld crucial information until the eve of his original trial date scheduled for later this year, but which was pushed back to early 2026.
"He said to them (AFP officers), straight up, 'I've got information for you. I can tell you who's involved'," she said.
"There's nothing at all that shows that any federal agent has followed up any information that this man has told them when they pulled him up at the airport at the time."
"Their lack of due diligence means that this man sits in custody," she said.
The judge acknowledged the late disclosure but was unconvinced Calverley should be released to stay with his daughters in Sydney before the trial.
Judge Pickering referred to incriminating Whatsapp text messages that Calverley allegedly sent to his criminal syndicate handlers which were revealed in court in August 2024.
He had allegedly told law enforcement officers that he was duped by an international criminal organisation.
Upon his arrest, the AFP said the quantity of heroin the West Australian man was accused of importing would have been enough for 25,000 street deals.
However, the crown prosecutor argued there was a clear financial incentive involved for the West Australian man by importing the drugs.
"There was a substantial amount of money that he was hoping to collect," the court was told.
Ms Hopper said a jury could read the messages from "two sides" to which the judge agreed but noted "still probably the odds are against him".
The judge said the WhatsApp messages showed that Calverley "knew the very risk he was taking ... and believed he could use the excuse of being scammed as a way out".
"There is no question in my mind that this is still and remains a very strong case against the accused."
A grandfather accused of smuggling heroin worth more than $2 million in a camp stretcher has failed to win bail after accusing federal police of withholding vital information in his case.
Barry James Calverley, a mining safety officer from Perth, was arrested at Sydney Airport after he arrived on a flight from Vietnam in January 2024.
Australian Border Force officers allegedly found 5kg of heroin, worth $2.25 million, concealed in his camp stretcher.
Calverley, who is in his early 70s and appeared via a video link from custody wearing his green prison uniform, was denied bail in the NSW District Court on Thursday.
It was the second refusal after the NSW Supreme Court in mid-2024 decided to keep him in custody.
A trial is set for March 2026 where Calverley will face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if found guilty.
"This is hardly a rare trial. You see these kind of trials throughout our system - for better or for worse," Judge John Pickering said on Thursday.
Calverley's lawyer Justine Hopper strongly argued the Australian Federal Police had withheld crucial information until the eve of his original trial date scheduled for later this year, but which was pushed back to early 2026.
"He said to them (AFP officers), straight up, 'I've got information for you. I can tell you who's involved'," she said.
"There's nothing at all that shows that any federal agent has followed up any information that this man has told them when they pulled him up at the airport at the time."
"Their lack of due diligence means that this man sits in custody," she said.
The judge acknowledged the late disclosure but was unconvinced Calverley should be released to stay with his daughters in Sydney before the trial.
Judge Pickering referred to incriminating Whatsapp text messages that Calverley allegedly sent to his criminal syndicate handlers which were revealed in court in August 2024.
He had allegedly told law enforcement officers that he was duped by an international criminal organisation.
Upon his arrest, the AFP said the quantity of heroin the West Australian man was accused of importing would have been enough for 25,000 street deals.
However, the crown prosecutor argued there was a clear financial incentive involved for the West Australian man by importing the drugs.
"There was a substantial amount of money that he was hoping to collect," the court was told.
Ms Hopper said a jury could read the messages from "two sides" to which the judge agreed but noted "still probably the odds are against him".
The judge said the WhatsApp messages showed that Calverley "knew the very risk he was taking ... and believed he could use the excuse of being scammed as a way out".
"There is no question in my mind that this is still and remains a very strong case against the accused."
A grandfather accused of smuggling heroin worth more than $2 million in a camp stretcher has failed to win bail after accusing federal police of withholding vital information in his case.
Barry James Calverley, a mining safety officer from Perth, was arrested at Sydney Airport after he arrived on a flight from Vietnam in January 2024.
Australian Border Force officers allegedly found 5kg of heroin, worth $2.25 million, concealed in his camp stretcher.
Calverley, who is in his early 70s and appeared via a video link from custody wearing his green prison uniform, was denied bail in the NSW District Court on Thursday.
It was the second refusal after the NSW Supreme Court in mid-2024 decided to keep him in custody.
A trial is set for March 2026 where Calverley will face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if found guilty.
"This is hardly a rare trial. You see these kind of trials throughout our system - for better or for worse," Judge John Pickering said on Thursday.
Calverley's lawyer Justine Hopper strongly argued the Australian Federal Police had withheld crucial information until the eve of his original trial date scheduled for later this year, but which was pushed back to early 2026.
"He said to them (AFP officers), straight up, 'I've got information for you. I can tell you who's involved'," she said.
"There's nothing at all that shows that any federal agent has followed up any information that this man has told them when they pulled him up at the airport at the time."
"Their lack of due diligence means that this man sits in custody," she said.
The judge acknowledged the late disclosure but was unconvinced Calverley should be released to stay with his daughters in Sydney before the trial.
Judge Pickering referred to incriminating Whatsapp text messages that Calverley allegedly sent to his criminal syndicate handlers which were revealed in court in August 2024.
He had allegedly told law enforcement officers that he was duped by an international criminal organisation.
Upon his arrest, the AFP said the quantity of heroin the West Australian man was accused of importing would have been enough for 25,000 street deals.
However, the crown prosecutor argued there was a clear financial incentive involved for the West Australian man by importing the drugs.
"There was a substantial amount of money that he was hoping to collect," the court was told.
Ms Hopper said a jury could read the messages from "two sides" to which the judge agreed but noted "still probably the odds are against him".
The judge said the WhatsApp messages showed that Calverley "knew the very risk he was taking ... and believed he could use the excuse of being scammed as a way out".
"There is no question in my mind that this is still and remains a very strong case against the accused."
A grandfather accused of smuggling heroin worth more than $2 million in a camp stretcher has failed to win bail after accusing federal police of withholding vital information in his case.
Barry James Calverley, a mining safety officer from Perth, was arrested at Sydney Airport after he arrived on a flight from Vietnam in January 2024.
Australian Border Force officers allegedly found 5kg of heroin, worth $2.25 million, concealed in his camp stretcher.
Calverley, who is in his early 70s and appeared via a video link from custody wearing his green prison uniform, was denied bail in the NSW District Court on Thursday.
It was the second refusal after the NSW Supreme Court in mid-2024 decided to keep him in custody.
A trial is set for March 2026 where Calverley will face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if found guilty.
"This is hardly a rare trial. You see these kind of trials throughout our system - for better or for worse," Judge John Pickering said on Thursday.
Calverley's lawyer Justine Hopper strongly argued the Australian Federal Police had withheld crucial information until the eve of his original trial date scheduled for later this year, but which was pushed back to early 2026.
"He said to them (AFP officers), straight up, 'I've got information for you. I can tell you who's involved'," she said.
"There's nothing at all that shows that any federal agent has followed up any information that this man has told them when they pulled him up at the airport at the time."
"Their lack of due diligence means that this man sits in custody," she said.
The judge acknowledged the late disclosure but was unconvinced Calverley should be released to stay with his daughters in Sydney before the trial.
Judge Pickering referred to incriminating Whatsapp text messages that Calverley allegedly sent to his criminal syndicate handlers which were revealed in court in August 2024.
He had allegedly told law enforcement officers that he was duped by an international criminal organisation.
Upon his arrest, the AFP said the quantity of heroin the West Australian man was accused of importing would have been enough for 25,000 street deals.
However, the crown prosecutor argued there was a clear financial incentive involved for the West Australian man by importing the drugs.
"There was a substantial amount of money that he was hoping to collect," the court was told.
Ms Hopper said a jury could read the messages from "two sides" to which the judge agreed but noted "still probably the odds are against him".
The judge said the WhatsApp messages showed that Calverley "knew the very risk he was taking ... and believed he could use the excuse of being scammed as a way out".
"There is no question in my mind that this is still and remains a very strong case against the accused."
