Tammy Ford charged with breaking into lawyer Brad Kernick’s home

A woman accused of breaking into her own lawyer’s Central Coast home and trying to extort him for $3000 cash told police she was at the address to score drugs, a court has heard.

Wyong solicitor Brad Kernick, whose house was allegedly broken into by a client on January 8 2024. Picture: LinkedIn

A woman charged with breaking into her own lawyer’s Central Coast home and allegedly demanding $3000 from him told police she was at his address to buy drugs, a court has heard.

Extraordinary allegations flew in every direction at Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday as Tammy Ford applied for bail over allegations she broke into her solicitor Brad Kernick’s home.

Ford was charged with aggravated break and enter and demanding property with menaces after police say she barged into his home while he was in bed and later demanded $3000 from him.

But a court heard Ford and a female associate who drove her to his home have told police they went to Mr Kernick’s address to buy drugs.

Prominent Central Coast solicitor Mr Kernick is not charged with any offences and the Central Coast Express Advocate does not suggest he has done anything wrong.

He declined to comment on the case before the court.

A document of police allegations tendered to Deputy Chief Magistrate Sharon Freund says Mr Kernick woke to find his client at his bedside at 7.20am on Tuesday.

“When he was in bed at 6am, he received a number of calls from the accused in relation to legal advice,” police wrote.

“The victim told the accused to come and see him – no time to meet was agreed upon and the victim went back to bed after the conversation with the accused.”

Police claim Mr Kernick got up and got dressed before discovering two unknown males were also in his home and calling triple-0.

The matter was before Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Minutes later, an unknown man is said to have called Mr Kernick and said he would publish a video of him that would “ruin his career” unless he paid $3000, according to police allegations in court documents.

“The victim sent a message to the accused saying ‘what can I do for you that will allow you the full use of your legs’,” police wrote in the document of allegations.

“The accused replied ‘pay the money for you 3 grand isn’t nothing for you as some rock’ (sic).”

When police arrived, it is alleged Mr Kernick received another call demanding $3000 or they would release a video of him supposedly taken that morning.

Mr Kernick arranged to meet the unknown caller at Watanobbi Oval – where police swooped and arrested two men, Ford, and another woman.

“(The other woman) admitted she drove the accused and the men to the address in order for the accused to purchase drugs from the victim,” police wrote in the document of allegations.

“The accused was interviewed where she made full admissions to attending the location to buy drugs.”

Ford applied for bail on Wednesday, where her solicitor told Ms Freund the 21-year-old Wyong woman would contend she was invited by Mr Kernick to his home.

“He tells her he may be in the shower, the door is unlocked, come in,” the solicitor told the court.

“That’s why she attends at that time.”

Ford was granted bail with strict conditions akin to house arrest where she will not be able to leave home for anything other than medical emergencies and legal appointments unless she is with her mother.

Her matter returns to court next month.