SEVERAL men and women at the centre of the Tamworth 'ice castle' face several years behind bars after they admitted to drug and gun supply offences.
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Melanie Caldwell, Cory Alan Cloake, Anthony Edward Stanshall, Shaun Andrew Winsor, Hayden Lansdown and Ethan Johnson are all in jail, awaiting sentencing.
All six have pleaded guilty to charges in Tamworth Local Court after they were caught in the Tamworth 'ice castle' police sting, this time last year.
Caldwell has pleaded guilty to supplying more than an indictable quantity of drugs; another drug dealing charge; three counts of supplying a firearm to a person not authorised to possess it; and possessing an unauthorised pistol.
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Fifteen of Caldwell's charges - which she denied - were dropped in court, including possessing a pistol; possessing an unauthorised firearm; acquiring ammunition; not keeping a gun safely; and supplying a gun.
She has been committed to the district court for sentencing. She made no application for bail and it was formally refused.
Cloake faces up to 20 years behind bars after he admitted to supplying guns on an ongoing basis.
He appeared in court and admitted to supplying more than an indictable quantity of drugs; unlawfully selling guns on three or more occasions within 12 months; and another drug supply offence.
Thirteen related charges of impersonating a police officer; three counts of supplying drugs; possessing ammunition; possessing drugs; recruiting others to assist in criminal activity; supplying an unregistered firearm; two counts of supplying a shortened gun; not keeping a gun safely; using a stolen firearm part; and supplying ammunition were all referred to the district court to be dealt with at sentencing.
Fifteen of his charges including two counts possessing an unauthorised firearm; three counts supplying a firearm; dealing with the proceeds of crime; supplying ammunition; using a carriage service to threaten harm; three counts of supplying a pistol were withdrawn.
Anthony Edward Stanshall has already pleaded guilty to supplying more than a commercial quantity of ice. Three other drug supply charges will be dealt with on sentencing, while three other offences were dropped by prosecutors.
Shaun Andrew Winsor has admitted to supplying a shortened firearm; while another offence of supplying a gun to someone unauthorised to possess it will be dealt with on sentencing. Three other gun charges were withdrawn.
Hayden Lansdown pleaded guilty to supplying a pistol and another shortened firearm supply. Three gun charges were withdrawn, while another gun supply and ammunition charges will be dealt with by the district court.
Ethan Johnson pleaded guilty to dealing with the proceeds of crime.
The five men and woman were all committed for sentence to the district court where they will formally enter guilty pleas. All have been denied bail by magistrate Julie Soars ahead of sentencing in June.
The offenders were some of the first arrested in the police sting, code-named Strike Force Radius, which saw Oxley officers raid a Petra Avenue unit in South Tamworth in May, last year.
Police claim the unit was dubbed the 'ice castle' by the alleged ringleaders. Several other co-accused remain before the court.
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Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
