Ex-Block contestant turned escort Suzi Taylor in Southport court on drug trafficking charges
Former The Block contestant turned “high-class escort” Suzi Taylor – reportedly with a client list including Channel 9 celebrities – was allegedly also caught with more than $55,000 in cash.
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Fallen reality TV personality turned “high-class” escort Suzi Taylor has become embroiled in yet another court battle – this time facing allegations of drug trafficking.
Police allege Ms Taylor, 53, was involved in trafficking heroin, MDMA, methylamphetamine, and marijuana between March 24 and July 13.
She is also charged with possessing quantities of those drugs, three firearms, and more than $55,000 said to be the proceeds of trafficking within that same period.
The former star of The Block now faces 18 charges including trafficking dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, unlawfully possessing Category A/B/M and D/H/R weapons, and receiving or possessing property obtained from trafficking.
Ms Taylor appeared calm when she was brought in from the watch-house to apply for bail in Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday.
The court was told her ex-partner was co-accused and had been remanded in custody since mid-June.
Defence lawyer Michael Gatenby, of Gatenby Criminal Lawyers, said there was currently little evidence connecting Ms Taylor to the alleged drug trafficking operation or the firearms and other items allegedly found in her storage shed.
Mr Gatenby said his client’s conversations with her ex while he was in custody could potentially point to other offences she was not charged with, but did not go towards trafficking.
“All the prosecution can say is her mobile phone was in the vehicle of her boyfriend at the time he went and did some things – for a period of three months, there is quite simply nothing,” he said.
“The prosecution says, ‘Oh well, there’s a photograph of her with money all on top of her,’ – where’s that photograph taken?”
When questioned about the significant cash stash Ms Taylor was allegedly found with, Mr Gatenby pointed to her career as a “high-class escort”.
“I’m not sure how much Your Honour knows of my client, but there are some very high-profile clients of Ms Taylor,” he said.
“There are links to celebrities at Channel 9 and the like that are alleged to be clients of Ms Taylor, so that’s not a controversial proposition.”
Mr Gatenby conceded his client had an “appalling” history of breaching bail, but said she was booked on a flight to Cairns that night where she would be able to live with an Olympian turned finance broker and regularly report to police.
Magistrate Joan White said the charges were “very, very serious” but that the current case against Ms Taylor was “sufficiently lacking” to grant bail, voicing concerns she may otherwise spend more time in custody than eventually warranted.
Her bail conditions include that she live at Cairns, have no contact with her co-accused or his mother, and submit to drug testing as required with negative results.
Her case was adjourned to August 27.
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Originally published as Ex-Block contestant turned escort Suzi Taylor in Southport court on drug trafficking charges
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