Rocco Avati fronts Tamworth court for allegedly using recording device

Rocco Avati represented himself when he dialled into Tamworth Local Court on the phone for his first appearance in the case on Monday.

He told the court he would need to see "the credentials of the sitting magistrate on the day of the hearing", and if this didn't happen, there would be action taken.

"I will be dissolving the matter," Avati said.

He asked for an adjournment.

Magistrate Julie Soars said his application for a delay wasn't in line with the practice of the local court, and said no hearing date had been set, with no pleas entered yet.

"What you're saying doesn't seem to make sense, sir," she said.

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Avati said he was speaking to an "attorney", who would need to assess the magistrate's credentials on the next court date.

Ms Soars asked if the attorney was qualified to practise law in NSW.

"They don't need to be licensed because they operate on a higher sovereign level, that I'm currently operating," Avati replied.

He complained that no brief of evidence had been served, and Ms Soars explained one wasn't required until pleas of not guilty had been entered.

She entered a "judicial" plea of not guilty to the single charge of using a recording device in court premises, and adjourned the matter to July.

Avati was granted police bail after his arrest earlier this month, and Ms Soars continued his conditions.

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