Cocaine Fatboy's baby bail bid
ACCUSED of heading one of the city's biggest cocaine rings, a man nicknamed "Fatboy" has mounted an urgent bid for bail as his wife went into labour.
ACCUSED of heading one of the city's biggest cocaine rings, a man nicknamed "Fatboy" has mounted an urgent bid for bail as his wife went into labour with his first child.
Luke Sparos is charged with Alen Moradian, Matthew Piesley, Jason Johnson and Johnny Youkhana over an alleged conspiracy to supply a commercial quantity of cocaine.
Police seized $19 million in assets including $10 million in cash found in the roof of Piesley's house and an arsenal of firearms including a gold-coated pistol.
In Central Local Court on Tuesday, Sparos' barrister Winston Terracini SC said his client was desperate to be with his wife who had gone into labour after a difficult pregnancy and was expected to give birth to the couple's first child within hours.
Mr Terracini tendered the pair's love letters, in which Sparos writes how he is pining to be with his wife and the "junior burger" as she is born.
Mr Terracini said surety to the tune of $500,000 could be provided.
"Mr Sparos can report twice a day, seven days a week, which is a very, very onerous task but he's willing to do that," he said.
DPP solicitor Kate Nightingale said she opposed bail because Sparos was a flight risk and police had uncovered details of his family members sending money to Greece and Lebanon.
She called the officer in charge of the case Detective Sergeant Sheldon Klotz to give evidence. He said Sparos and Mouradian were accused of being the kingpins of the alleged syndicate.
Sgt Klotz said large amounts of money had been sent to accounts overseas while Sparos was working in Greece.
However under cross examination by Mr Terracini, Sgt Klotz conceded the money was transferred into legitimate bank accounts with all the appropriate paper work to support them.
"Was there anything illegal about the transfer of basic payments to people working overseas," Mr Terracini asked.
"No," he replied.
He also admitted an arrest warrant issued while Sparos was overseas had never actually been executed and no charges were ever laid.
Sgt Klotz was also forced to admit he had not checked police assertions that Sparos held three passports.
Mr Terracini said one was in his client's name of Sparos - the other two, one simply reissued, was in his original name of Radcliff, which was legally changed by deed poll.
This is Sparos's one and only chance at bail due to recent legislative chance.
A second bail application can only be made if fresh evidence comes to light.
Magistrate Allan Moore will hear further evidence and decide the application today.
Outside the court, Sparos' solicitor Ben Archbold said his client was desperate to be at his wife's side for the birth of his first child.
"He just wants to experience what any innocent man deserves to, the birth of his daughter," Mr Archbold said.