Alleged Ironside kingpin held in solitary confinement for 158 days after ‘credible’ threats

The alleged Ironside kingpin accused of introducing the tainted AN0M app to the underworld has spent 158 days in solitary confinement – but police won’t fully explain why.

An alleged Operation Ironside key player who is accused of introducing the tainted AN0M app to the South Australian underworld has spent 158 days in solitary confinement because of threats to his safety, a court has heard.

But despite Australian Federal Police saying they have received information of credible threats against the man, authorities have refused to hand over the details to his defence team.

The man, whose name is suppressed to protect the integrity of future trials, is charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

However, both the Adelaide Magistrates Court earlier this year and the Supreme Court on Friday have heard there are more charges pending.

The man applied for a review of a decision to refuse him strict home-detention bail.

Michael Abbott QC, for the man, said his client had spent 158 days in solitary confinement with 53 of those days being spent in 24-hour lockdown.

The AN0M app on a phone. The app was taken down when the police raids occurred. Picture: Olivier Morin / AFP

“We have been told that there are threats to his safety from both interstate and here in South Australia,” Mr Abbott said. “The AFP considers this information credible.

“He does not have the normal rights of a prisoner and is considered to be a special case.”

Mr Abbott said his instructing solicitor Harry Patsouris had emailed the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions asking for more information about the threats uncovered by the AFP.

However, in a short email response, Mr Patsouris was told AFP would be exercising public interest immunity over all material relating to the safety concerns.

Public interest immunity is invoked when a party argues that disclosing the information would not be in the public interest and often includes details of ongoing investigations.

Mr Abbott said the man’s mental health was in decline as he spent his days in solitary confinement.

“His family has noticed a marked deterioration in his physical and mental health,” he said.

The case was adjourned for three weeks for the preparation of reports into the man’s time in custody, particularly his wellbeing in solitary confinement.

The man is accused of inadvertently introducing the AN0M app into the SA underworld.

The app was designed and initially released in the US and then leaked to numerous underworld figures by undercover operatives and spread throughout Australia.

On June 7 this year, law enforcement agencies shut down the app and arrested hundreds of people across the country.

Some people arrested as a result of information from the app have pleaded guilty while others have yet to enter pleas and plan to challenge the legality of evidence gathered from the app.