Operation Ironside: Francesco Errigo, arrested under AN0M raids, wins expedited bail for birth of child
An insurance assessor arrested under Adelaide’s AN0M raids has faced court hoping for good news, with his wife just days from giving birth.
An Adelaide insurance assessor arrested alongside his brother during last week’s statewide AN0M raids has been permitted by a court to rush to the side of his heavily-pregnant wife.
On Tuesday, Francesco Bruno Errigo appeared via video link from the Adelaide Remand Centre to hear an urgent home detention bail suitability report had deemed his residence suitable.
Magistrate Lynette Duncan agreed to release Mr Errigo on strict home detention conditions despite the “gravity” of the alleged offending.
His bail conditions include additional restrictions meaning he is permitted only to have one mobile phone, and cannot communicate with any of his co-accused – except his biological brother, Robert Errigo Jnr, who is also charged.
During his first court appearance, Magistrate Lynette Duncan ordered an expedited home detention inquiry report in an effort to see him bailed prior to the birth of his child.
The court heard the Munno Para West man was arrested just 13 days before his wife was due to give birth.
Mr Errigo is yet to enter a plea six counts of trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.
During his first appearance the court heard prosecutors were not opposed to his release on home detention bail if a suitable address was located and additional conditions were imposed.
The 32-year-old was arrested on October 29 during a series of police raids across the state.
In the wake of a High Court ruling earlier this month, almost 300 police officers carried out searches of 23 houses from 5am on Wednesday, taking all suspects into custody without incident.
During the complex operation, police restrained more than $25.8m in assets, including 23 properties, 68 vehicles, two Harley Davidson motorcycles and bank accounts containing $588,000.
A further $142,000 in cash, as well as a small amount of cannabis, cocaine and steroids, were also seized during the raids, which was the third operation of its kind related to the encrypted messaging app AN0M.
The Australian Federal Police and the FBI developed the encrypted AN0M devices and sent them to alleged criminals to secretly monitor them and their activities – leading to simultaneous raids across 18 countries on June 7, 2021.
About 400 alleged offenders across Australia under “Operation Ironside” have been charged since that time.
On Tuesday, the court heard a guarantee in the sum of $5000 would be paid to the court by a supporter, who told Ms Duncan she understood her obligations.
Ms Duncan explained if the supporter did not intervene or contact SAPOL if she suspected a breach was to or had taken place she would be liable for the money.
The court further fixed a condition that Mr Errigo, who works as an insurance assessor, would need to attend job sites on short notice and be permitted in hospital during his wife’s labour.
Her Honour also fixed a condition that Mr Errigo could not be released from custody until his father, Robert Errigo Sr, attended at the remand centre to collect him.
His wife and Mr Errigo Sr are not accused of wrongdoing.
Ms Duncan released Mr Errigo to appear in court later this month.
