Accused target of Tamworth 'ice castle' Stephen Ross Hanshaw's drug supply and firearm dealing charges adjourned again

Stephen Ross Hanshaw is facing more than 30 allegations including supplying more than a large commercial quantity of the drug ice - a charge that carries life imprisonment, if found guilty.

Hanshaw did not appear in Tamworth Local Court for his case but the DPP said it was an application for more time because "there are still ongoing negations in relation to the facts".

But the constant delays in the case are wearing thin on magistrate Julie Soars who expressed clear frustration with another adjournment application.

"This matter is well outside of time standards," she told the court.

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"I'm just concerned there is undue delay with this matter."

She said despite the fact it was a long-running strike force case, it was lingering for too long in the local court because Hanshaw was arrested in May last year.

"We're struggling with the workload [here in Tamworth]," Ms Soars said.

"This is the fourth time it's been marked ready for committal."

DPP solicitor Kat McKay said a proposed set of facts was sent and the solicitor with carriage was "now on leave" and didn't "have an opportunity to respond to those".

Miss McKay said there was a multitude of charges and "the length and the complexity of them" arises out of the facts.

She asked for seven weeks, which was agreed to by Hanshaw's solicitor, who said they were "considering a proposal submitted" to them, and were working to move the case.

"There's been a number of essentially informal case conferences," he told the court.

"The facts are lengthy and complex and in the present form the facts run to 38 pages or so."

He said the summary of the telephone intercepts of his client run "some 800-odd pages", and the "complexity of the matter and volume of evidence" meant it wasn't easy to progress quickly.

Ms Soars granted one final adjournment, warning the parties "it must proceed", and allowed for a shorter adjournment to September.

"I think people need to apply themselves to this matter," she said.

"It's not going to linger in the Tamworth Local Court."

Hanshaw made no new bid for bail and it was refused to late-September.

Hanshaw - who was the first target to be arrested in a series of raids that unfolded in Tamworth in May last year - has been refused bail since.

He's the alleged ringleader of the 'ice castle' which police claim was being run out of his Petra Avenue housing commission unit.

He's also accused of supplying firearms and ammunition; possessing unauthorised firearms and unregistered gun; possessing unauthorised pistols; unlawfully selling or supplying firearms more than three times within 12 months; using stolen firearm parts or supplying them; supplying a shortened firearm; and selling prohibited weapons.

Hanshaw's co-accused wife Rebecca Hanshaw has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentence. She was granted bail in the NSW Supreme Court in May.

More than 30 people have been charged with hundreds of offences as part of the Strike Force Radius drug and firearm sting.

Several remain before the court, but a list of men and women have already been sentenced for drug supply and firearms offences.