Gawler barber drug bust accused asks court to let him install ‘for sale’ signs

Months ago he was living the high life and driving luxury cars, now a former Gawler barber chain owner has pleaded with the court to install “for sale” signs at random homes.

Four months ago he owned a Mercedes Benz and Maserati and had a stake in a highrolling hairdressing chain.

Now an alleged key syndicate member of a tri-state drug running ring has had to plead with a court to allow him to install “for sale” signs at properties for work.

That alleged key member, Nicholas James Rehmann, on Tuesday told the Adelaide Magistrates Court the conditions of his home detention were inhibiting him from making enough money to pay his mortgage.

Michael Woods, for Mr Rehmann, told the court his sign-writing employer had cut down his hours because he was only able to work in a warehouse rather than installing signs themselves.

“He’s got a child, a house and a mortgage to pay,” Mr Woods told Magistrate Simon Smart.

Nick Rehmann arrives at the Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“Some (home detention officers) let them (people on home detention) go jet skiing.”

Mr Woods told the court the prosecution’s case against Mr Rehmann, who has no prior convictions, was “not strong at all” and there was “no direct evidence against him”.

He said that was in contrast to the case against one of the other seven people charge over the alleged drug rung – Steven Saheed Jadon.

Mr Woods’ submissions were at odds with those made by counsel for Mr Jadon earlier this month.

During that hearing Scott Henchliffe KC, for Mr Jadon, told the court his client had been “caught in something that is not his making”.

A prosecutor alleged almost 200kg of dried cannabis had been found in a van at a Greenwith storage facility owned by Mr Jadon.

But Mr Henchliffe told the court the facility was actually leased out by Mr Rehmann and Mr Jadon “hardly knew” him and had no knowledge of what was inside.

Mr Rehmann and Mr Jadon were arrested alongside alleged drug syndicate “treasurer” Matthew Newall as part of Operation Dryad.

Steve Jadon and co-accused Matt Newall at Mr Jadon's wedding in 2015. Picture: Facebook

Mr Jadon has since been released from home detention and placed on supervised bail while Mr Newall had an application to have his bail relaxed dismissed.

Operation Dryad ran for 12-months and began after police allegedly intercepted wads of cash bound for Mr Newall’s house.

Those wads of cash, police have alleged in court documents, totalled $1.3m, were payment for selling drugs and were laundered by Mr Newall.

The trio face the most serious charges of a troupe of eight people who were arrested as part of the operation which culminated in police swooping on several homes across the northern suburbs of Adelaide in early December.

Paralowie personal trainer couple Josh and Sheryn Armstrong, 41-year-old Highbury man Andrew James Mather, 32-year-old Redwood Park man Daniel Flynn and 31-year-old Surrey Downs man Dale Mason Formosa make up the eight charged over the alleged drug syndicate.

Sheryn and Josh Armstrong have been charged over the alleged drug bust. Picture: Facebook

Andrew Mather faces charges of cultivating more than a prescribed quantity of cannabis plants, possessing prescribed equipment and diverting electricity stemming from Operation Dryad. Picture: Facebook

At the time, police seized hundreds of kilograms of drugs, luxury cars, homes and cash.

According to court documents, Mr Rehmann had a stake in the hairdressing business Lagers and Barbers – which he was co-owner of alongside Mr Newall – seized by police.

They also seized Mr Rehmann’s Gawler East home, about $45,000, a Maserati, Mercedes Benz and Ford ute.

In court on Wednesday, Mr Rehmann was told he would be able to attend homes to install the “for sale” signs as long as he provided home detention officers of the addresses they would be installed.

Mr Rehmann will next face court in March, alongside Mr Jadon and Mr Newall.