THE man detectives allege is the leader of a drug ring supplying ice in the Gunnedah area has been refused bail.
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Peter Joseph Lennan faces up to 20 years behind bars if found guilty of two counts of ongoing supply of methylamphetamine.
The 48-year-old is accused of participating in a criminal group in Gunnedah between August and November, last year; ongoing supply by allegedly dealing three or more times in a month; and driving an unregistered vehicle in Gunnedah as well as using a vehicle with a major defect on the Oxley Highway.
Strike Force Munderrah detectives, a covert police operation by Oxley detectives, alleges Lennan was the head of the criminal group and directed and coordinated his partner, Ricki Stranlund, and associates in methylamphetamine.
Stranlund, 41, was in Tamworth Local Court on Friday in support of her long-term partner, after being charged and released on bail after her arrest on Thursday. She is facing charges of participating in a criminal group and ongoing drug supply.
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Peter Barnes was granted bail in the same court late on Thursday on drug supply charges. Three others were arrested and charged after a raid on a Baker Street house on Thursday.
Police allege the case against Stranlund and Lennan involved multiple drug transactions in August and September where methylamphetamine was sourced from the Upper Hunter area to return to Gunnedah to on-sell.
"This extrapolates to more than 1,000 deals of methylamphetamine as each deal is approximately 0.1g in weight," police allege.
Lennan appeared in the dock of the court on Friday and lodged a fresh bid for bail.
Solicitor Geoff Archer said co-accused Barnes was given bail in court, while Ms Stranlund was released on bail by police.
I'm not bound by what the police choose to do.
- Magistrate Stephen Corry
"I'm not bound by what the police choose to do," Magistrate Stephen Corry said, adding the case against Barnes was "significantly different".
In denying bail, Mr Corry said it was a "strong prosecution case"; "it's almost inevitable", if found guilty, that Lennan "would be subject to a significant jail term"; and his "previous conviction for drug supply", and the ongoing allegation, meant that there "is a risk to the community of the defendant being at large".
"For those reasons, bail is refused," he said.
Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Matt Pawsey had successfully argued Lennan was a flight risk because of the serious charges that carry jail terms if found guilty; and he was an unacceptable risk of committing further serious offences.
He said Lennan had a conviction for drug supply and was imprisoned in 2000; had a failure to appear and breaches of bonds on his record.
"They are very serious allegations before the court, over an extended period of time," he said.
Mr Archer submitted Lennan had "strong community ties" and was supported by his partner and father in court.
He said Lennan was the registered carer for his partner who was suffering a serious medical condition and was on a disability support pension, and needed to be on bail to care for her and other family members.
They are very serious allegations before the court, over an extended period of time.
- Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Matt Pawsey
He said "his record doesn't assist him" but the drug matters were "20-odd years ago".
"It's a lifetime ago," Mr Archer told the court.
He offered reporting conditions, surety and a non-contact condition as well as alcohol and drug prohibition, if released on bail, but it wasn't enough.
Lennan will remain behind bail until late-April, with his co-accused to front court this month.