Tristina Hay, Samuel Cross: Gold Coast couple accused of drug import
A Gold Coast couple who were wanted by police in two states jumped out a bedroom window when officers came knocking at a northern NSW home, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
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A couple accused of importing drugs into Australia have been refused bail after a court heard they were wanted for similar offending in another state.
Tristina Hay, 31, and Samuel David Cross, 33, appeared in Ballina Local Court on Thursday via audiovisual link from Clarence Correctional Centre.
Each faced charges of import marketable quantity of border controlled drug, attempt to possess marketable quantity of unlawful import border control drug, deal with proceed of indictable crime and direct activities of criminal organisation.
According to court documents, a warrant was issued for their arrest on December 17.
Police allege the Tallebudgera couple were seeking refuge in NSW after becoming aware they were wanted by Queensland police.
Police allege Hay and Cross attempted to evade arrest at a Barkers Vale address on Tuesday by fleeing out a bedroom window.
It is alleged the couple were based in Casino when they imported and possessed a marketable quantity of cocaine from the United Kingdom between August 8 and October 12, 2021.
It is further alleged they were directing the activities of a criminal organisation between June 1 and October 12, 2021, in the same place.
The court heard the first two offences had maximum penalties of 25 years in jail.
No pleas have been entered.
Defence barrister Tomislav Bicanic applied for bail for Ms Hay and Mr Cross.
He told the court the crown case relied on evidence from a third co-accused who was assisting police and their credibility should be questioned.
Mr Bicanic said police were relying on the same person to share the content of encrypted messages sent on the Signal app however the app was not found on a number of devices seized from Hay and Cross.
He told the court there was not forensic evidence of cash deposits or actual cash found linking the couple to the first two charges.
He said the pair had not been avoiding police and were in Barkers Vale because Cross had been working on a blueberry farm in Dunoon.
Mr Bicanic sought bail with 19 conditions including the pair live under house arrest at a Barkers Vale home where the had been living with Hay’s mother.
He said the mother was also willing to put her house up as a surety, worth an estimated $800,000.
However police prosecutor Sergeant Tim Monahan opposed the application.
He said the Ms Hay and Mr Cross were a flight risk and were a danger to the community and witnesses.
He said there was an “extreme” flight risk as the couple were also wanted in Queensland for almost identical alleged offending relating to later dates.
“Both defendants have the means at this stage and the ability to flee the jurisdiction of Australia to avoid these matters proceeding,” Sergeant Monahan said.
Hay began crying as Magistrate Michael Dakin refused the couple’s bail due to the serious flight risk.
Hay called out to Cross across the video link sobbing as she said “I’ll see you soon”.
The matter was adjourned to March 2, 2022.
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